The Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) has played a key role in Deer Valley’s resort expansion, thanks to its partnership with Extell Development, the company building East Village.
The state agency was originally set up to serve veterans and military members, and it is responsible for major economic development projects across the state. It’s governed by appointed, not elected, officials.
Within Wasatch County, the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley is the cornerstone of the military benefits MIDA has touted. Of its 400 rooms, 100 are available at discounted rates, based on rank, for some members of the military. Not all veterans are eligible.
At a MIDA board meeting Thursday, Nov. 7, MIDA Executive Director Paul Morris said the agency has multiple visions for how to use the hotel.
“As staff, we talk about kind of the three-legged stool of what we’re trying to do to benefit the military – which also benefits the public,” he said. “The impetus for all of this, as we all know, is the recreation and the 100 rooms, so we have really focused on that.”
He said a second focus is helping wounded veterans.
And a third priority is to profit from what Morris calls “the business side of the military.” He said he hopes the Grand Hyatt will attract “a large portion” of the hundreds of military-related conferences held every year.
“We’re friendly for the military to recreate. We’re friendly if you need help,” he said. “But we’re also very, very friendly to take your money and have conferences here and do business with us.”
To up the appeal, he said the hotel will house a secure facility for the military to use.
“One of the things I want to point out is the Military Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, affectionately known as SCIFs,” he said.
The space will enable military guests to discuss top-secret issues at the hotel. Morris said having a SCIF in the hotel will attract higher-level military meetings and conferences to Utah.
The Grand Hyatt will welcome its first guests Nov. 20. Part of the new ski terrain is scheduled to open about a month later.
