So now the Crested Butte mid-timers who came here in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s for the small-town mountain village and ski-town vibe know what the Crested Butte old-timers felt like when they moved here. Was that a big change or a normal evolution?

To say last week’s “Poor Little Rich Town” story (great title, by the way) struck a deep chord with some people would be an understatement, as the online views climb toward the 10,000 mark. Locals who’ve been here a bit are sad to see more expensive gentrification in Crested Butte while some of their friends are leaving. Some second homeowners feel like their financial security is being used against them when all they want is to be able to participate and contribute to a cool mountain community. The local landlords feel targeted when businesspeople who are struggling generally used the term “rent” to collectively describe the increasing costs and difficulty of making a living in the valley. While I wish I could directly relate to the wealth conundrum, I empathize with all of the feelings expressed. That is the purpose of Dawne’s series—to put in words some of the angst people are feeling as the place they know changes.

Let’s start with the landlord anxiety. In my 30-plus years here I have been a tenant of both commercial and residential property and, on a relatively small scale, a landlord of both commercial and residential property. It is far easier being the one paying rent as opposed to a mortgage, but the landlord always feels like a target is on his or her back. 

Frankly, being a landlord means you’ve taken a risk with the hope of making money during and at the end of the deal. Given property value direction these days, it might be hard to remember that prices don’t always go up. That’s where the risk comes in. Maybe I’m the only one in Crested Butte to have ever taken a bath and lost my ass on commercial property in town, but I doubt it. When people insinuate that landlords are simply being greedy for charging more rent today than 10 years ago, they are wrong. Landlords deal with the clogged toilet, the snow on the sidewalk and the light that won’t work at midnight. Landlords have to pay the mortgage and the property taxes even if their tenant is late with their rent or sends an email saying they do not intend to pay the rent at all because they don’t have the money. Every landlord wants a buffer in the bank for such cases because those cases are not that rare. On the residential side, there are good renters and bad renters. So when a landlord asks for or writes in the lease the need to cover expenses like insurance, maintenance and taxes, I get it. It is simplistic to point the finger at the landlords, who are struggling like the business owners who rent space. 

Which ties into the next element. The mid-timers got here in a time when life was more mellow and it was a lot cheaper to set up shop or just live here. Residential rents in mining shacks with little insulation were maybe $200 per month instead of the current $1,600 per month for renovated, warm condos and homes. Because there are so few old mining shacks that can be turned into ski bum rentals these days, they are being replaced by deed-restricted affordable housing. The problem now is that for those ski bums who ultimately choose to make this their home, there are fewer options to move up on the housing ladder. Relatively cheap fixer-uppers, old condos at the ski area, cheap land in Crested Butte South or an affordable free-market house in Gunnison used to be plentiful. Now, those lower rungs of the ladder are disappearing or already missing.

Business rents in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s were easy and cheap. You could start a business in town on hope and a line of credit that the local banker would outline on a bar napkin over a beer. And while starting any business depends more on a dream and the ability to work hard, the costs for everyone these days in Crested Butte make it more difficult. Local owners remark all the time about the high fees charged by town for building and running a business, on top of the increasing property taxes and a limited tourist period to make bank. This is no longer the place you can zip in and set up an inexpensive mushroom smoothie shop and make a buck. 

The positive thing is that some existing businesses are adapting to the situation and finding new outlets to help their businesses stay viable and young people are still exploring ways to work for themselves here. That is exciting and keeps the place dynamic.

As for the wealthy second homeowners and newcomers to town, most were attracted by the ambiance that comes from Crested Butte. They may have never tried a mushroom smoothie or gotten a loan from the banker on a bar napkin but they enjoy the sort of outlaw feel that remains under the radar in Crested Butte. Those mid-timers who arrived in the ‘70s and ‘80s loved that the roads weren’t paved, lift tickets were $30, dogs roamed free and there was no high school, movie theater or, frankly, many rules. The newbies these days instead went into the “real world” and made their money and can now afford to live in the place they dreamed about. 

Or they have jobs that allow them to live here but work online. They don’t need to wait tables. But they want this small-town lifestyle with resort amenities. They appreciate the outdoors and the small town. They like riding their bikes to the post office and appreciate the education their kids receive. 

For me, the reasons one comes to this place are the most important, not the bottom line of a bank statement. Now of course, like all of us, the new arrivals might want to understand that it’s not always what they expected, so trying to change the place to be like the place they left will always cause friction. It can snow a lot here and it’s sometimes hard being in a small mountain town. It’s difficult to get places and having a cow poop on the trail is not bad but worth its weight in gold because it means the ranching industry is alive and well in the valley. Maybe people should live here a few years before getting too enthusiastic about how it can be better.

Which ties into another rough element: Watching friends and long-time businesspeople who make up the fabric of the community leave. When Lian or Rich or Chris close up shop and leave the valley, that means we don’t see familiar faces on the softball diamond, at the coffee shop or on an Elk Avenue bench. That leaves an empty feeling in the overall community and it exemplifies the change we all feel when Lian from Rendezvous is replaced by Stacy from Boulder. 

This series is intended to lay out there what is happening, as opposed to simply ignoring it or just complaining about the angst some are feeling. Looking at social media this week the story is certainly an avenue to talk about ways people are dealing. The changes are not always easy and for some the line has long been crossed. But almost without exception when people move away from here, so many wish they hadn’t because the relationships formed and the connections made in this small town do not come easily in other places, even other small resort communities. 

Everyone has their version of the good ol’ days and there are, I’m sure, other good places hidden out there. But I can think of no better place to live and raise a family. It’s a place where the pissed off landlords can easily find me to raise their issues, where you can go into an establishment and share a drink and stories with friends and acquaintances 12 months a year. New faces on Elk mean new ideas and new opportunities to meet new people. Crested Butte is still a place where you can walk out the door to incredible beauty and be in the midst of it within minutes. It is still a place where neighbors care about one another and a walk to get your mail can take an hour as you catch up with friends. Yeah, it is more expensive now than it was then, it is bigger than yesterday and there is too much Crestitude by the newer “locals,” but it is a pretty wonderful place. 

The early mid-timers changed CB but have tried to honor the mining and ranching culture of the community as they pushed for resort amenities. Now many of them are feeling pushed out. Change is always inevitable and we are in a big wave—but how we evolve is ultimately up to us. 

—Mark Reaman

It Ain’t Easy (being rich and pretty)

By Dawne Belloise

Throughout Crested Butte’s long history and metamorphosis from a mining town to a ski resort, businesses have always come and gone. But recently there seems to be a rash of closings and a migration of residents to more affordable towns where home ownership is realistically attainable. Many feel it’s not the locals who are going to have a say in this town’s future and development—it’s the big money. 

Crested Butte cannot be a town of tourism-based economics if the shops, galleries and restaurants that contribute to its attractive character—and are major players in bringing in tourists and return visitors—cannot financially survive. 

The two main reasons for local business closings, cited by affected businesses, are the escalating cost of space and lack of a consistent workforce. It boils down to the town’s declining residential housing for lower-income workers and commercial building stock being driven up in value by buyers willing to pay the high sales price. Investors and wanna-be-Buttians who buy property at escalating market prices have driven up the accompanying property taxes while depleting the housing stock for locals who make a living in the tourist industry. This not only increases taxes; it affects costs across the board, from new construction to roof shovelers to the price of a meal at your favorite local eatery and, more notably, raises the total cost of a lease. 

Landlords say they are in a tough spot and find they must increase rates, both commercially and residentially, to keep up with the ever-increasing property taxes and other expenses associated with owning property in a resort town. 

The difficulties of being a landlord are straightforward and most say they try to work with their tenants. Every landlord dreads empty spaces. But they’re often caught in the riptide of higher expenses, treading the rising property taxes, dealing with expensive maintenance and repairs, and sometimes handling tenants who can’t keep up with their rent on time or at all, leaving the landlord to fully cover all their overhead.

Jos Rijks, who with his wife, Teresa, has owned Rijks Family Gallery since 1993, feels landlords are stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place, especially with rising taxes. “People feel that art framing is already expensive—are you going to keep increasing your prices because the taxes are escalating?,” Rijks wonders. 

The Rijks have rented out a section of their store to Valerie Jaquith, who has a thriving soap and body product business, Colorado Real Soap Company, but couldn’t find an affordable commercial retail space in town. The Rijks stepped up in a win-win situation for both businesses, but Jos also warns, “If it comes to the point where we feel our business is not financially worthwhile, why keep working? We’ll simply close the business.”

Because of state laws, commercial property is hit with a sledgehammer when it comes to property taxes. The Gallagher amendment essentially dictates that any tax increase will hit commercial property roughly four times higher than residential. 

On the residential side of things, the county bases property valuations for taxes on property sales; in other words, market value, and as most people understand, market value is high right now. 

In Crested Butte, the average single-family home to date this year sold for well over a million dollars, compared to the 2013 average price of $913,000, and the 2014 price of $1 million. In 2015, prices of single-family houses in town dropped to an average $803,400, while they rose from $1.2 million in 2016, to $1.35 million in 2017, and to $1.3 million in 2018. Two months ago, a single-family residence on Ninth Street sold for $4.46 million, the highest price ever paid in town for a single-family residence. The next county property reassessment, which happens every two years, will reflect these current sales and taxes will most likely continue to rise. 

It is obvious that a middle class working family will not easily be able to afford a free-market house in town. Even deed-restricted affordable units being sold in Crested Butte that might be appropriate for a young growing family can be expensive, costing between about $200,000 to more than $400,000, depending on size and incomes. 

The world, weather and parking all play a role

Businesses now have had to reinvent themselves, expand product or share space to stay afloat. “There’s constant competition from the internet,” says Kim Raines, owner of Mountain Colors, a paint, lighting, supplies, sundries and hardware fixture store. “If I just sold paint I probably wouldn’t be in business. I need multiple things.” 

Raines’ advice to other businesses: “Make sure that 100 percent of your sales aren’t in the valley. I make sure that whatever I’m selling can be sold to other places as well.” Ninety percent of her product is sold out of her store but she also ships her products to second homeowners’ primary homes in other states, notably Texas. Instead of ordering off Amazon, Raines’ clientele have a good business relationship with her, trust her consultation and prefer working with a human who will personalize their experience. 

“It’s not easy to own a business anywhere, but everything seems to be harder in Crested Butte,” Raines says. “Just the day-to-day things, like going to work, are exacerbated by the harshness of winter—tunneling out of your house through deep snow, shoveling your car, blizzard conditions—but these are the circumstances that also keep the hardy in the community and drive out the fair-weather Buttians.”

Businesswoman Kyleena Falzone doesn’t plan on relocating anytime soon. She and her partners own two successful restaurants, the Secret Stash and Bonez, which are doing well but she talks of the challenging costs put on businesses and property owners by the town and county. 

Falzone feels that the town’s parking fees are a barrier to any new entrepreneur who wants to start a business in town. The town charges $13,000 per 100 square feet of commercial space, a one-time charge for businesses that are not grandfathered in, or change the use of the building, which impacts downtown parking. Restaurants and bars impact parking more than a retail shop or office space so, for example, if a retail or office space converts into a restaurant or bar, they would be assessed a fee in lieu of providing parking spaces on their own property, as many of the downtown buildings don’t have the lot space for a parking area. 

Falzone feels those fees are exorbitant and adds, “The town is collecting sales tax on our customers, our business and then they’re charging us parking fees? It’s the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” 

According to town records, when the Secret Stash (the Company Store building) was converted from several small retail shops and Paradise Café, some of the square footage was already grandfathered for a restaurant but most of the space was assessed the in-lieu-of-parking fee, which totaled $143,000. Bonez was also required to pay the in-lieu-of-parking fee for their outside patio. “Do you know how much money you have to generate to have a profit? It’s a crazy expense for us,” Falzone points out. 

When the Public House converted from retail and office space and expanded their square footage into their basement for a restaurant-bar, they also were assessed the parking fees to the tune of $156,000. They also created three hotel rooms upstairs but had those parking spaces in the back of their lot. 

Falzone says she wouldn’t mind paying those parking fees if the town used them solely to create more affordable housing. The town designates those fees to purchase more parking areas, which come at a premium price for the town with real estate prices soaring. 

Falzone feels strongly that the number one issue for local businesses is employee housing but agrees there also have to be tax breaks on both property and sales taxes, “or we’re going to have a massive problem where nobody lives here and more businesses close.” 

Bonez and Secret Stash employ 165 workers, some of whom have been living out of their cars, vans and, if lucky, an RV. Falzone and her partners bought into the affordable employee housing recently offered to business owners by the town this year because, Falzone says, “I’m compassionate about our workers. We have employees who are living out of vans. What kind of a life is that for them?” 

Falzone also worries, “What happens if we go into another recession? Investors buy up the buildings and hold on to them, depriving locals of business opportunities and property ownership in their own town. I don’t want to see our employees leave or businesses close anymore. I’ve thought about moving my business somewhere else, but I don’t want to leave. This is my community.” 

Franchise protection

Currently, Crested Butte needn’t worry about franchises arriving and opening shop in retail spaces that are available or unaffordable to local businesses on Elk Avenue. The Town Council progressively took the initiative in approving an ordinance last year that limited where formula businesses, or franchises, could be located in town. They cited the threat to Crested Butte’s distinctive character and aesthetics, historical relevance and economic vitality by the “homogenizing effect.” It was forward-thinking and a step in the right direction.

The best plans we can develop will focus on keeping our community intact. More changes are going to come—it’s already happening at a rapid pace but we can find viable and creative solutions to enable affordability for primary residents and businesses when townspeople, workers, business owners, landlords and government officials collaborate and try to create feasible solutions together as a community. More on that next week.

It is election season in Crested Butte and we have a race for Town Council. Between now and the end of October, the Crested Butte News will be asking council candidates to answer questions related to issues in the community. We are asking that they keep their answers to no more than 600 words total. If you have a question you want us to ask them, send it to editorial@crestedbuttenews.com.

The News will also be sponsoring a Candidates Forum on Sunday, October 20 at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts. We will begin the questioning at 6 p.m. and expect the event to last between 90 minutes and two hours.

Ballots will be mailed out by October 18 and must be returned by November 5.

—Mark Reaman

 

Jim Schmidt

Mayoral candidate

Occupation: Driver for Alpine Express.

Years in the valley: 43.

Why are you running for Crested Butte mayor? I bring experience and institutional knowledge to the office of mayor at a time when there will be many fresh faces on council. I look forward to the blending of new ideas with the parameters the town has set over the years.

What do you see as the number one issue facing the Town Council right now? The number one issue is affordable/workforce housing. The town has 27 units under construction plus the three units the Fire District is building. We will have more than 24 percent of the living units in town with a deed restriction for workforce housing. We need to continue to work with our partners in the valley, especially Mt. Crested Butte to produce more opportunities for workers to find housing.

Favorite month in Crested Butte: My favorite month in Crested Butte is June. It’s usually not too busy and the weather is spectacular (though this September has been great).

Favorite candidate running for president right now: My favorite candidate running for president is Pete Buttigieg. He is very articulate. He is not one for hyperbole. He has an incredible background and, what can I say, he is a mayor.

Favorite musician or group: I’m an old guy. I grew up on the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. But give me some Eric Clapton anytime!

 

 

Will Dujardin

Council candidate

Occupation: Crested Butte Town Council 2017–Present, Head Freeride Coach CBMST, Mountain Bike Coach CBMST, fill-in server/painter/events, Badog Alley volunteer coordinator.

Years in the valley: 11.

Why are you running for Crested Butte Town Council? Two years ago I ran for Town Council on a topical level because I was frustrated with slow action taken by council on STRs and I was encouraged by friends and family to get involved in community I care about in a way that I was capable of affecting change. On a deeper level, I think I ran because it didn’t take long for me to care enough about this community through various work, adventures and volunteering to believe we are capable of truly shaping the future of Crested Butte in a way that connects to ourselves and why we live here to political action.

I am looking to continue my work on Town Council because it has felt like we have been going full send across so many important issues that matter to our community; we are still trying to get a grip on affordable housing, climate action, community health, public lands, tourism and even the reckless commodification of our town character so I hope this community trusts I can keep working for its constituents in these areas preserving our community values and way of life.

What do you see as the number one issue facing the council right now? Two years later I still see creating affordable housing solutions as the number one issue facing the Town Council right now. I do not take our progress in the last two years for granted, developing Block 76 is putting people in housing and the business partnerships in Phase 2 are pioneering an affordable housing tool, but we still need to take more action creating rental housing and affordable ownership opportunities while continuing to protect existing housing by increasing the percentage of deed-restricted homes in town.

I believe we are still playing catch-up since losing a bunch of housing to short-term rentals and we can’t be afraid to look at density in our future projects as a way to accomplish our affordable housing goals and push for more resource efficiency in regards to our Climate Action Plan efforts.

Affordable housing ties so many parts of community together from our mental health to our businesses and our community values. It feels a little funny when we as a community can figure out how to market this valley to the rest of the world and offer amazing experiences in the Rocky Mountains, but can’t figure out how to take decisive action to protect the community members that help run this town and make Crested Butte what it is. It is going to take thoughtful development of our scarce resources and implementing creative solutions through public and private enterprise to make more than a dent in the affordable housing crisis.

Favorite month in Crested Butte: Mayuary, I love letting seasonal confusion dictate which recreational activity is called upon for the day, whether skiing, mountain biking, river stuff, screenholes, books, or bench-sitting.

Favorite candidate running for president right now: A Warren/Sanders combo would align the most with my political beliefs. I was a Bernie Sanders delegate at the Colorado Democratic State Convention in 2016 representing our Gunnison County Democrats. I think the issues and ideals he has been fighting for throughout his career are mainstream Democratic priorities at the present. Elizabeth Warren is one of the smartest presidential candidates I have ever seen and her record in the Senate fighting against big business is something to be proud of. For me it’s either of these two and then any Democrat before Trump.

Favorite musician or group: Been on a Lizzo / Slayer / Tool / A Tribe Called Quest / Hall and Oates / Logic kick for a bit.

 

 

Candice Bradley

Council candidate

Occupation: Business owner, tattoo artist.

Years in the valley: Five years and 5 months.

Why are you running for Crested Butte Town Council? I am running for Crested Butte Town Council because I think it’s important to maintain an open and accepting community. I have made it my goal while serving on Town Council to seek out those who may have differing views or ideas and hear their side of the issues.

What do you see as the number one issue facing Town Council right now? When I have asked people what they think the biggest issue is in Crested Butte right now, they often say housing. I agree that the lack of rental housing is a major issue, but I also see a larger darkness on the edge of town. The housing crisis has made severe impacts on all aspects of the community, businesses possibly being the most visible. Combining housing needs with increasing property taxes, short-term rentals, the purchase of the ski area and healthcare needs. I think that developing a plan to financially prepare for a change in our economy, the diverse needs of the people in our community and environmental sustainability are key to the success of the community. In short, I believe the number one issue facing Town Council is strategic planning for the future needs of this community.

Favorite month in Crested Butte: June.

Favorite candidate running for president right now: I don’t currently have a favorite candidate running for president of The United States. I am interested in a couple Democratic candidates and need more time to decide.

Favorite musician or group: Currently, my favorite band is Lightning Dust.

 

 

Mallika Magner

Council candidate

Occupation: Attorney with a local practice specializing in land use, municipal representation, commercial transactions, estate planning and homeowners associations.

Years in the valley: I moved to Crested Butte in 1995, left in 2006 to spend time in India and returned full-time in 2017 (with a name change from Laura to Mallika).

Why are you running for Crested Butte Town Council? To continue to put my skills, experience, deep ties and love for our community in service to the Town. I want to listen and hear the concerns and issues facing those who live here, and represent the entire community.

What do you see as the number one issue facing Town Council right now?  Helping maintain our core values in this rapidly changing community, including providing housing for our workforce, making decisions that support local businesses and residents, encouraging our bike and pedestrian lifestyle, addressing climate change and making responsible fiscal decisions.

Favorite month in Crested Butte: September.

Favorite candidate running for president right now: Elizabeth Warren.

Favorite musician or group: The Clash.

 

 

Monique “Mona” Merrill

Council candidate

Occupation: Owner of Amazing Grace, an old-school natural foods café in Breckenridge. Mother of a 6-year-old at CBCS. Board member at the Children’s Trailhead Museum.

Years in the valley: Our family purchased our home by the Nordic Center 10 years ago and our daughter started at Stepping Stones five years ago. I have been coming to Crested Butte since 1993, racing the Alley Loop, the Grand Traverse, the NORBA bike races and numerous other grassroots events.

Why are you running for Crested Butte Town Council? I love Crested Butte and want to keep it community based. I decided to raise my daughter here, and our family plans to be part of Crested Butte forever. I am a small town gal and what made me fall in love with Crested Butte is the true face-to-face community of locals that live and thrive here. Like many of us, I am troubled by the rapid changes happening to our town—many of which threaten the very things we love most about Crested Butte.

I lived in Breckenridge for 20 years and witnessed its transformation from a small ski town to a mini city. I watched as the town gentrified and the locals cleared out. I feel a sense of urgency and duty to stop these losses from happening here in every way that we can.

I think the grassroots non-profits, local businesses on Elk and local families living in town are imperative to the health of the community. What Crested Butte has is special: CBMBA, CBCC, Mountain Roots, Children’s Trailhead Museum, School of Dance, the Nordic Center… just to name a few. I hear a lot changed before I got here but there is still so much community and core left that can be preserved, especially compared to other ski towns. I believe my experience running a small business and serving on Open Space in a ski town purchased and developed by Vail Resorts will provide useful insight to town Council.

What do you see as the number one issue facing Town Council right now? How do we manage growth in such a way that it doesn’t displace locals or our grassroots vibe and leave us with empty town syndrome? How do we manage growth as it affects our backcountry crowding and local trails? My preference would be to see zero growth, but I realize more visitors and growth are inevitable and help support local families, bring in tax dollars and create jobs. Where we must accept it, how can we minimize the impact and maximize the benefits? I commend town on their five-year affordable housing plan, taxation on STRs and long-term deed restrictions. On council, I want to make sure we follow through with implementation of the five-year plan, add to our open space, improve collaboration with the county and increase funding where possible—finding ways to have visitors and second homeowners pay what it takes to preserve the town we all love.

Favorite month in Crested Butte: September… No—every month! I go on trails and in the backcountry almost every day so I know where to hide.

Favorite candidate running for president right now: Elizabeth Warren.

Favorite musician or group: Xavier Rudd. He sings about saving the earth and keeping it real. He turned down the Belly Up and rocked the house at the Center for the Arts last month and I ran into him at Mountain Earth. Love it.

 

 

Laura Mitchell

Council candidate

Occupation: Ortho-Bionomy practitioner, property manager, Frank’s Deli star sandwich maker, Crested Butte Town Council member.

Years in the valley: This will be my 33rd ski season in the valley.

Why are you running for Crested Butte Town Council? There are a few projects that I have helped get started that I would like to see to completion. I have some history as a “mid-timer” that adds some depth to the council.

What do you see as the number one issue facing the Town Council right now? Brush Creek development.

Favorite month in Crested Butte: October.

Favorite candidate running for president right now: Marianne Williamson.

Favorite musician or group: Leftover Salmon.

 

 

Anne Moore

Council candidate

Occupation: Self-employed professional cleaner.

Years in the valley: My parents picked this place to raise me—I chose it of my own volition as an adult. As result, I have spent the vast majority of my 36 years on this planet living in the most beautiful valley on Earth.

Why are you running for Crested Butte Town Council?

Through many years of volunteering in order to further positively progress our community, I feel it is time for a more direct, hands-on approach. Aligned with my mentality for positively impacting the Crested Butte community, the Great Muhammad Ali encouraged, “Service to others is your rent for your space on this planet,” and I am here to serve the people.

What do you see as the number one issue facing Town Council right now? Affordable rental housing.

Favorite month in Crested Butte: I thrive in November and May. I love and value the breathing room and the space for everyone to be themselves.

Favorite candidate running for president right now: Bernie Sanders has my full support. Furthermore, I admire Marianne Williamson for helping to expand the conversation. To have a presidential candidate discussing the deeper matters of our souls and responsibilities to Earth is exactly what we need. The bigger the conversation, the more informed and conscious the results are.

Favorite musician or group: The Gorillaz.

Untamed and wild

By Mark Reaman

Instead of trying to attract the typical ski family looking for flawlessly groomed slopes, the new Crested Butte Mountain Resort marketing campaign is targeting those skiers, including families, who want something a little out of the ordinary.

CBMR vice president and general manager Tim Baker told the Crested Butte Town Council Monday night that he is excited the ski area ownership, Vail Resorts, “is pushing the envelope in ways the company hasn’t done before. We spent the last year [since purchasing CBMR] trying to listen and learn and we want to share the ‘voice’ we’re trying to put out there. We are tailoring the message to those looking for a Crested Butte experience—and that’s different.”

Baker introduced CBMR marketing director Morgan Bast, who outlined the new branding to the council. “The brand position is that this is an untamed destination at the end of the road,” she explained.

CBMR has shifted the pillars that support the core of the marketing brand—“the foundational truths that define, guide and bring the brand to life”—from being about the “town, terrain and location,” which Bast said is what most ski resorts focus on, and moved to focus on the emotional elements of the place and people having qualities like being untamed, intrepid and gritty.

“This is what we want to communicate to people,” Bast said. “The brand voice is purposeful, clever and has a quiet confidence. The target audience is the Wild Ones, people who take bold risks in pursuit of adventure off the beaten path. They don’t seek convention. They seek to be who they are with like-minded original, free-spirits.”

Bast said the marketing is meant to get the message to such people that Crested Butte provides “untamed exhilaration.”

The “Be Wild” marketing campaign is focused on finding people who would like Crested Butte for what it is and would not be disappointed to discover a funky place that isn’t like other ski resorts.

“We want people to come here and enjoy what we have,” Bast told the council. “And that includes certain families and individuals. Not everyone is comfortable with it, but we want to attract those who are.”

Look for some of those wild ones to be in the Silver Queen and North Face lift lines starting this coming ski season.

Affordable housing a big part of the idea

By Mark Reaman

An ordinance that would regulate demolitions of residential buildings in Crested Butte is getting a review by the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR) and will be considered by the Crested Butte Town Council in September.

The draft making its way through the system would basically require that aside from historical homes built during the so-called Period of Significance (before 1952), any residential demolition would have to be approved by the town. Buildings built before 1952 are not eligible for demolition unless they are deemed to be unsafe, creating a substantial risk of injury or damage to property.

Applicants would have to show that the structure deserves to be torn down based on a number of considerations such as not meeting town design guidelines, or not being safe in terms of things like poor electrical systems or mold infestation.

Before a demolition permit is granted, approved redevelopment replacement plans would need to be in place for the lot. A homeowner could replace the structure with a larger one but would then be required to include an accessory dwelling unit on-site that is deed-restricted for affordable housing as a long-term rental. If the replacement structure is the same size as the structure demolished, the standard affordable housing payment-in-lieu requirements would be accepted.

Crested Butte community development director Michael Yerman told the council at an August 20 work session that there is an incentive for homeowners to renovate a home instead of tearing it down and starting over, since they could expand an existing structure without incurring the affordable housing requirement.

The August 20 meeting centered on the philosophy behind the demolition ordinance, with much of the discussion taking place between the council and August Hasz of Resource Engineering Group, who has dealt with demolition projects in Crested Butte and other mountain resort communities, including Aspen.

Crested Butte is nearing the “inflection point” where cost doesn’t matter to some homeowners, Hasz told the council, so if the council thinks demolitions will be limited because of fees and expensive mandates they are mistaken.

“As prices here go up, an $800,000 shack will end up being a couple of million dollars to renovate. The cost of the fees in the project won’t be a deterrent. Instead, you have to use the opportunity to offset the need for affordable housing or whatever,” Hasz explained. “The cost of renovation versus a rebuild doesn’t matter at that point. We deal with clients with $30 million a month income streams so they’ll do whatever they can to get what they want. Money isn’t a factor, really.”

Councilman Paul Merck said that a demolition and rebuild can have benefits above a renovation, since, “A lot of times you’ll end up with a better structure after a demolition instead of a renovation. But there’s a lot of factors involved.”

Hasz agreed and said the old saying that the “greenest house is one that is already built” isn’t necessarily true. He said considering the broad scope of the structure from embodied energy used to construct it to energy efficiency during its life is complicated.

“Generally, the 1970s and 1980s seem the worst construction period in the history of Crested Butte,” Hasz said. “There were some really bad and inefficient houses built then. And as far as recycling those structures, it isn’t very successful. There is very little that comes out of those old houses that can be reused efficiently.”

Hasz gave the council and town kudos for addressing the demolition issue but said it was a huge undertaking. “My recommendation is that you have to determine whether the mass, scale and character is enough to preserve,” he said. “If it is, do the current BOZAR regulations do that?”

Yerman said the ordinance addresses mass and scale by mandating that if a property owner wants to demolish a building and build larger, they have to provide an affordable housing element. The council liked that aspect of the ordinance and seemed to lean toward requiring that the affordable unit would have to be placed onsite. For example, a homeowner couldn’t purchase an existing condo in another part of town or the valley to meet that requirement.

“This is definitely a tough, tough thing to consider but it is important for town,” Yerman told the council.

The council will consider the ordinance at the September 3 meeting after BOZAR reviews it first.

Roger Kahn’s new book dives into the socio-economic anthropology of the inevitable

By Dawne Belloise

Roger Kahn’s reading and signing of his new book, How Crested Butte Became a Tourist Town: Drugs, Sex, Sports, Arts, and Social Conflict, will be at the Crested Butte Heritage Museum on Saturday, July 20 at 7 p.m. The book is a deep look into the social history of Crested Butte, based on extensive research through numerous interviews with a wide range of locals who lived in town from the mid-1960s through the late 1970s.

According to Kahn, the concept for the research and consequent book began about 45 years ago when he wrote a proposal to a social science research group, the Russell Sage Foundation, where he was a consultant.

Kahn explains, “They were trying to make their research more relevant to what was going on, the social changes of the 1960s and 1970s. I was part of the Union of Radical Sociologists, trying to get sociology to look at the power structures and to do research that would help the working class people and people of color, information that would help them in their struggles for social justice. We were trying to change the focus of the grant-giving parameters to change their policies in order to be useful for civil rights activists. People of color, women’s rights, civil liberties, activists, and trade unionists were all being studied but few were studying the powerful people of society, the elected officials, heads of banks, ultra-wealthy, and the power elect.”

Kahn wrote the proposal shortly after moving to Crested Butte in the late 1960s. “We were living in a unique and dynamic community and I wanted to study the community I was living in. They turned it down. They couldn’t put it together, they didn’t get it.”

The book addresses the formative period of the mid-60s to the late 1970s, which helped to determine what would happen in the future of this town.

“My research was very extensive. I read every single word in the Crested Butte Chronicle, also the Crested Butte Pilot. I mean every word, every letter, editorial and even ads during that era,” Kahn says.

Kahn also conducted unstructured interviews. “Basically, I asked five questions: Where’d you come from, why did you come here, what did you do for work and play, what were some of the wildest craziest things you did? The latter question led to some remarkable answers about drug use, marital indiscretions and stories about mushroom gathering. I interviewed a broad section of people, a cross section from radicals to the politically conservative.”

Through his research, Kahn realized that the same cultural phenomenon was taking place at resort towns across the nation. “The development of those tourist towns and their proliferation following WWII was the same thing that happened to Telluride, Tahoe, Bear Lake and Laguna Beach, California, all the tourist towns. I understood that all the tourist towns emerged from tiny towns that were ethnic—mining, logging, fishing towns—all of these towns emerged as tourist towns in the 1960s and ’70s in conflict with the populations and cultures of the previous residents who were all working class blue collar. A large portion of counter culture people of the era, whether hippies or social activists, came from parents who were the new middle and upper middle classes in America. They (the counter culture) were the first generation offspring of middle class, highly educated and widely traveled people. They were what socialists and anthropologists called ‘downwardly mobile.’”

Kahn’s book encompasses these concepts.

Kahn says he used to think Crested Butte’s evolution was unique, but he now believes, “We are not and moreover, Crested Butte evolved for the same reasons and in the same way as the other tourist towns. I make a strong point about talking about these places as a tourist town and a recreation community. People go to these tourist places for their recreational needs but they don’t understand that it’s also a tight-knit community. That the workers who allow them to happily play and give them a great experience are themselves a community. They don’t realize there’s a local community and many people who visit haven’t the faintest idea there’s a community here.”

In his book, Kahn identifies three distinct groups who arrived after the coal mines closed. “First, the trailblazers from Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado who mostly came with the opening of the ski area [CBMR opened in 1962]. They were younger than most of the old timers and culturally were comfortable with the Old West. The second group is the tourist town pioneers, who were anti-war and pro-civil and equal rights, clean up the environment, pro-personal growth, and back to the land. Some were outlaws, escaping the law and were anti-authority movement. They were interested in finding more ways of living than making a living.

“The third group,” Kahn says,  “is the recreation community settlers. Culturally, they were very similar to the pioneers in that they were pro-civil rights, anti-war, pro-women rights. The big difference is that they were here for the local election of 1972, the most important election to the rise of Crested Butte as a tourist town. That election saw a complete turnover with the hippies elected and, with that, everything changed as all the resources were put toward building a tourist town. Word spread that there was this little town in the mountains that the hippies took over and people started to come because they heard housing, food, and living were cheap and there was a great ski area. New people started coming, from New York, Aspen, California, Michigan, and Chicago,” to name a few, he says, “the disgruntled of the cities. This third wave started pushing for more growth.”

To address the current changes, Kahn included an epilogue. “I summarize that today’s locals see the billionaires driving out the millionaires. It’s the prevalent conversation and opinion on the street these days. The most recent change really began with the recession of 2008, when the demographics started to flip because a lot of properties, especially condos, couldn’t sell and prices dropped to about half of what they were. People started buying those up for what was considered cheap. Now, they’re selling those at current market price.

“When Vail came in, the price of real estate jumped 25 percent just upon the announcement that Vail was buying. Whenever there’s a change of ownership in any major resort, these turnovers lead to an acceleration of pricing,” Kahn noted.

Kahn’s book beckons to people to understand that this is a new social cultural phenomena that has emerged in the past 50 years all across the country. “Crested Butte, and this study of it, is a unique work but the changes are a typical example of today’s recreational ‘Xurbs,’” he says, a term Kahn coined to reflect a more accurate picture of the tourist town evolution, and, he adds, “I would hope people have a lot of fun reading my book and learn a lot from it.”

This town has never needed a big excuse to hold a parade, but this Friday at 4 p.m. it has a pretty good reason to have one. The Crested Butte Community School boy’s soccer team traveled to Denver last weekend and came back as the new 2A state champion. They get an Elk Avenue parade.

A few quick notes on the weekend run that struck me:

—When Willa Emmitt was singing the national anthem before the start of the championship game at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park where the professional Colorado Rapids soccer team plays, the sound on the television at the school wasn’t fully working. Because the 60 or 70 people in the multi-purpose room could pretty much only watch as she sang and the Titans team stood with their hands over their hearts, the people who were gathered at the school stood up, took off their caps and started quietly singing the Star Spangled Banner. It was truly moving. And everyone who did hear her sing said Willa nailed it, by the way.

—The team took time in the mayhem after their victory to recognize school bus driver Bill Kastning in the locker room after the game. He has spent months transporting the Titans over mountain passes and through city traffic all season delivering our kids safely to and from their games. He would apparently act as a bit of a tour guide at times and the kids grew to appreciate his work, his knowledge and his contribution to the team. He was given the special Hawaiian “game shirt” that normally goes to the player of the game and Kastning wore it immediately. Maybe he hasn’t taken it off. That too was touching and speaks to the caliber and character of this particular Titans team.

—Than is the man who pushes a new flock of Crested Butte boys to become better men every fall. Than Acuff is the long-time CBCS high school soccer coach who has helped shape so many of the boys and girls in this community. He has made them laugh, cry and get mad. He has done the same with the parents. One of Than’s finest attributes as a coach may be that he treats his players as human beings, with respect and accountability. They are trying to figure out life. He is not a babysitter. He teaches. He is empathetic. He doesn’t suffer excuses but understands life circumstances. He is a blessing for the school and the community. Former players still refer to him as “coach” when they see him, out of admiration and deference for a life mentor. It is impressive to witness the impact he has had on the village’s young adults. He said this state championship was for every team he has had the honor to coach in his CBCS history. I know every former player feels pride in this year’s accomplishment. As usual, Than recognized the potential of the 2018 Titans and got the most out of a good group of local kids from Crested Butte and Gunnison.

Now, I must say that making the state title even better is that this team of chemistry beat archrival Telluride—a team that has for years given the Titans fits, depending on the season and the sport. This fall season belonged to Crested Butte as they beat the Miners three times. But the victory in that third game took overtime, and frankly, it doesn’t get any better than playing in a state championship game in a professional stadium and going to overtime—and winning.

This is where in a standard, politically correct commentary on the champs I’d say that just getting to the championship game was a great honor for two mountain towns and as long as the boys did their best that’s all they could ask for.

Nope.

Telluride and Crested Butte have always had sort of a playful, love-hate sibling relationship. The two towns both take pride in being quirky and different and a whole lot cooler than, say, Vail. There’s a mutual chip on the shoulder over the similar Colorado mining town turned ski resort—Aspen—getting all the money, glory and fame. T’ride might be more Rasta while Crested Butte is more…blue collar real? Telluride was built on silver mining while Crested Butte was built on coal. T’ride has brick buildings and we have wood. It used to be that Crested Butte as a ski resort dominated in terms of skier visits and steep ski terrain. Then Oprah and Tom Cruise started hanging out in Telluride and the Forest Service let them expand and not us. Their summer festivals blew up and our festivals stayed under the radar, except for Vinotok. They quickly became Aspen Light and we slowly moved toward an Epic patina.

Speaking as the parent of two athletes who played Telluride regularly in soccer and hockey, it was always great to beat our sibling town. The old-school parents over there were sort of like us, while some of the newer ones with East Coast accents were what you might expect: Loud and irritating. Some of the kids (okay, on both sides) were cheap when it came to playing and so there was always a special delight in beating Telluride. It’s just the way of sibling mountain town rivalries.

So when during overtime a Telluride player gave a cheap elbow shot from behind to one of the Titans and Gaby Marmolejo took the direct kick and put it into the back of the net like a pro for the 1-0 overtime victory, it was great. There’s just something so prideful about small town sport rivalries.

Talking to Than last week (his desk is five yards from mine) he said that while Telluride was a good team, they had a tendency to lose their composure. He said if the Titans waited long enough, their rivals would get frustrated and lose their composure and that could lead to a W. And he was right. A really well-played soccer game from both sides tipped on a Telluride player losing his cool and making a dumb decision. We’ve all done it and usually the results are similar: Karma matters. If Telluride had won, there would have been some grudging sibling pride in that. But as it is, congratulations to the members of the 2018 Titan team that kicked some Miner butt in the state spotlight last Saturday.

After coaching hundreds of local kids, Than deserves that trophy and this team deserves a parade. And they’ll get one this Friday at 4 o’clock. Stop by Elk Avenue and tip your hat to the 2A state soccer champions.

—Mark Reaman

Gunnison Watershed School District welcomes superintendent Leslie Nichols

By Cayla Vidmar

Earlier this spring, Leslie Nichols, former superintendent and principal of Hinsdale County School District, began her transition into her new role as superintendent for the Gunnison Watershed School District (GWSD). Nichols is taking over for Doug Tredway, who retired from the position. Nichols is hitting the ground running, working on the safe routes project, investigating affordable housing for her employees, and devising an entry plan that emphasizes building relationships.

“I do not come to this position with a pre-made plan for change,” writes Nichols in her entry plan in the superintendent’s message on the GWSD website. In the plan, Nichols recognizes the strong community, the tireless staff, and the hard work and leadership of her predecessor, Tredway, in building a solid foundation that she’s stepping into.

During a phone interview, Nichols says she’s coming into the district “eager to ask folks three questions: what do you think the district should keep doing; what do you think the district should stop doing; and what do you think we should start doing?” The answers will inform her implementation plan, where she will build on established systems and “renew the vision for GWSD so we function with purpose and motivation for the benefit of our students, families, local community, country and world.”

According to her biography, which is also available on the GWSD website, Nichols describes a life full of outdoor adventure, family, and a love for education. Nichols says, “I believe in the promise of public education in our country … To me it is a promise of creating conditions of an educated electorate for our precious democracy, of supporting families and building communities around the glorious endeavor of learning.”

Nichols’ résumé includes five years leading the Hinsdale County School District in Lake City as the superintendent/principal, and 15 years teaching secondary math and English, along with NOLS wilderness medicine and an EMT certification.

Nichols’ entry plan includes taking a deep dive into the district, building relationships, and investigating aspects of district functions, including curriculum, finance, transportation, facilities, and more. One of these areas is the facilities plan for Crested Butte Community School (CBCS), which Tredway worked on throughout the spring of 2018. That plan has gone through numerous revisions and the plan to-date was presented to the school district board at the August 13 school board meeting.

“I’m looking forward to delving deeper into that with the board and picking up from the great work that Doug has already done,” Nichols says.

One item from the facilities plan that is being implemented now is the safe route to schools, which will lead students to the CBCS on Belleview Avenue in between Seventh and Eighth streets. That sidewalk work is slated to be completed before school begins on August 27. “We’re working with the arts community in Crested Butte to have three crosswalks painted and made into works of art, which I think is super fun,” Nichols says. The safe routes will also include the school logo so students can easily identify the safe route.

The other area that’s a priority for Nichols is affordable housing for district employees. The district committed to purchase a two-unit duplex in Crested Butte’s Paradise Park development for affordable employee housing; however, Nichols says, “We had to take a step back and look at the cost for construction because the town had to recalibrate the entire project based on increased construction costs. We’ve allocated $520,000 and costs have increased significantly from that, and we’re having to consider other funding options.”

Overall, this is a topic Nichols is investigating. “I think employee housing provided by the school districts is becoming more of a trend in resort communities like ours,” she notes. Nichols says she will be attending a meeting with resort district superintendents and “Affordable housing is at the top of the discussion list with this group, and I’m eager to hear more on solutions that other towns are implementing.”

Nichols says she’s “looking in Gunnison to see about other affordable housing options and working with the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority to get up to speed on where everything stands, and continue to be a part of that problem solving.”

Overall, Nichols is eager to learn from the community, her staff, the parents and students on what has been working, and what hasn’t been working, and build an even stronger school district. “What’s most on my mind is the heart of a strong district, which is teaching and solid relationships with families, and being sure our youngest students are getting everything they need,” Nichols concluded.

Weigh in on the future of Crested Butte

By Mark Reaman

More than 750 people have so far responded to the Crested Butte Community Survey but the goal is get more than 1,000 responses by the end of August. The 20-question survey is a broad poll on what people want to see as the town grows. Initial responses appear to center on awareness of the changes Crested Butte is experiencing and about how to shape the changes into the future.

More than 70 percent of the respondents described themselves as “outdoor enthusiasts” and almost 12 percent said they could be described as a “ski bum.” So far, about 30 percent of those who have responded live in Crested Butte. Another 37 percent live in the north end of the valley. The rest live south of Round Mountain, on the Front Range, or out of state.

Several questions allowed respondents to select more than one choice for an answer so percentages don’t necessarily add up to 100 percent. When asked what “kind of community” they want to see in 20 years, almost half said they wanted the town to be able to “accommodate responsible growth without losing its unique historical character.” Another 41 percent said they wanted town to have a “balanced economy with good jobs and attainable housing.” Only 17 percent said they wanted town to remain like it is 20 years from now.

As for the greatest local challenges Crested Butte is now facing, it probably comes as no surprise that lack of workforce or attainable housing tops the list, with 52 percent saying it is an issue.

Other challenges topping the list include maintaining quality of life with a balance between being a community and being a resort. General affordability and cost of living in the area also received significant clicks of concern from respondents.

Supporting existing businesses was the most popular answer to the question about what town’s priorities should be regarding economic development. Diversifying from a tourist-based economy to a broader year-round mixed economy also received popular support.

Parking congestion also surfaced as an issue, with survey respondents saying that traffic congestion and parking availability is a problem, especially in the summer. The solution from those who took the survey was to develop an intercept parking lot near town with public transit; create more parking lots in town; or change “user behavior instead of investing in new capital improvement projects.”

Overall, people say they like the small-town feel and mountain environment that is part of Crested Butte. They also value the outdoor recreation and the people.

“People can remain anonymous when taking the survey so it feels like we are getting pretty honest feedback,” said Crested Butte community development director Michael Yerman. “The news about Vail purchasing CBMR  broke about the time we opened up the survey so that seems to have impacted the responses, especially at the beginning. But we are getting a good steady stream of people taking the survey.”

Crested Butte town planner Bob Nevins said it is obvious people are feeling the impacts of a changing community but for the most part they don’t want to build a wall. “It seems a pretty mature outlook,” he said. “People see change is coming but they want to try to guide it responsibly.”

As would be expected, the opportunity to include written comments always makes for interesting reading. Some examples include:  “All council members should take economics classes and learn how economies work;” “Don’t let tourism ruin our town;” “Do NOT build more infrastructure in an effort to turn it into a city;” “Your values are way too far to the left;” “The class division is so apparent and only going to get worse;” “CB and Gunnison should embrace their serendipity;” “They say ‘No’ a lot to most items on the agenda;” “Important to keep it a place that is accessible to more than just the 1%;” “No paid parking downtown;” “Quit being so progressive;” and “Open the portal to Somerset, mine the Red Lady, quit being wimps and put up a statue of the 45th president. Embrace Vail and connect the mountain with a Gondola.”

No word yet on where council stands on that last comment.

Anyone is eligible to take part in the survey. Physical surveys are available at the coffee shops in town. A link to the survey is on the town website or you can simply go to crestedbuttesurvey.com.

After 30 years, the rumor is confirmed

by Mark Reaman

To paraphrase an old CBMR marketing campaign—“We are not Vail.” But Vail will likely be running the ski mountain this winter. In an announcement that sent shock waves through the community Monday morning, it was revealed that one of the world’s largest ski resort operators, Vail Resorts, is under contract to purchase family-owned Crested Butte Mountain Resort. The deal is expected to close later this summer.

Current CBMR operators, the Mueller family, who came to Crested Butte 14 years ago, confirmed that they agreed to a sale of all three ski resorts they manage under Triple Peaks LLC, including Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Okemo in Vermont and Sunapee in New Hampshire.

Vail Resorts executive vice president of the mountain division Chris Jarnot told the Crested Butte News Tuesday that the company is excited to bring CBMR into its portfolio but has no desire to change the community or culture of Crested Butte.

Vail will pay $82 million for Triple Peaks and the leases currently held by a hedge fund will be paid off at closing. The Muellers will retain a chunk of the local real estate holdings including the Prospect property on the back of the mountain; the North Village property at the base of Snodgrass; the commercial property in the Lodge at Mountaineer Square; and the Treasury Center building in the base area.

Vail will take over the Grand Lodge commercial property, the main parking lot and the land behind the Grand Lodge. The property where the Adventure Park and mini-golf is located will go to Vail Resorts at closing.

“We are no longer in the real estate development business,” explained Jarnot. “When it came to the real estate aspect of the Crested Butte equation, we acquired what we need to help operate the mountain and let the Muellers retain the other real estate. We were focused on the real estate we need to operate the mountain.”

Tough call, staffing 

Ethan and Erica Mueller both said Monday that the decision to sell was extremely difficult for the family, especially given the recent financial successes the Triple Peaks resorts have seen the last several winters. But they basically said the writing was on the wall in terms of how the ski resort industry was evolving with Vail and Alterra (Aspen) basically controlling resorts across North America and the world and marketing their brands to skiers through ways smaller resorts had trouble competing with.

“There were times during these discussions that it was a shock for us,” admitted Erica. “We would ask ourselves if this was really the conversation we were having. It took a lot of contemplation. It was not easy.”

Ethan agreed. “I’m sure some people look at it and think it was easy and have the attitude of, ‘Look at how many millions they got,’ and I get that to a degree. But this has been our life. It’s always been our plan to take this business into the future. And now everyone is asking what will we do now and frankly, we don’t know. We’ve been focused on the deal and our employees. Obviously, there will be some change. The Vail people indicated that CBMR is structured basically the way it should be structured, so the intent is to keep people,” Ethan continued. “That being said, there are some people who probably won’t be a fit. It was the same way when we came in. As for us—we will be out of a job soon.”

Jarnot said no one should expect major staffing changes. “The management structure looks much like our existing resorts,” he said. “We’ve said that we expect to retain the vast majority of employees at all the resorts we recently purchased.”

“Our employees have done so much good work over the last several years to make CBMR a success. We want to see them continue to do it. With this move they will have more resources and that is exciting,” said Erica.

Retaining community 

“As part of the decision process we contemplated whether this would be good for the community,” said Ethan. “We recognized it would be a big shift. And quite frankly, we do think it will be a good fit. For people who think there will be a million skier visits, there won’t be. There’s a natural infrastructure governor (such as found in small engines) that won’t let that happen. There are only so many rooms for example, and this isn’t a day resort. But we’ve been intent on growing, too. I think they’ll get to our goal, easier. We were fighting the good fight and we were getting ourselves there but it was harder for us. We have been looking at that 500,000 to 600,000 skier-day winter for years. I would expect they will get somewhere in that realm but maybe not in that first year.”

Like the Muellers, Jarnot makes no bones about the desire to see an increase in skier visitations. “We announced that we would spend money [$35 million] out of the gate on improvements at the resorts we purchased. We invest in the guest experience to make it better and we certainly want to attract more people,” he explained. “We expect a return on the investment. That is part of the business strategy. But I don’t understand how that would change Crested Butte.”

When pushed whether the sale from small independent ownership to worldwide corporate conglomerate would intrinsically change Crested Butte to move away from its somewhat rough-around-the-edges reputation toward a more glossy corporate feel, Jarnot said that was the last thing the company would want.

“We already have a Vail and we don’t want to buy another one,” he said. “Crested Butte is so unique and different, with strong individuality. That’s the attraction of Crested Butte that appeals to us. Our perception is that the community as a whole is very distinct in attitude and feel. I’m surprised that people think we could change that or even that we would want to. That is not what we want to do.

“Okemo and Sunapee certainly complement Stowe and the idea of the company having a presence in the Northeast,” he continued. “Our strategy is to offer different resorts and different experiences for our customers. But this deal was not just about the Northeast. We have been aware and have been interested in Crested Butte as a unique and different resort. It is a true destination resort, especially compared to our other Colorado resorts. It is not as much of a regional draw as our other resorts in the state. Our overall business strategy is to provide different experiences for people to choose from. We want to get them to try new places with different feels, and Crested Butte offers that.”

“Vail can’t come in and overnight dictate that we’ll go from 31,000 airline seats to 75,000,” added Ethan. “It just isn’t going to happen. Monarch Pass is still Monarch Pass and some people will be okay driving over it and others won’t be okay. We’re still at the end of the road. And I think those things will largely continue to, as they always have, keep things in check.

“We are not now Vail,” Ethan continued. “CBMR doesn’t define Crested Butte. Crested Butte is what it is because of the people. Vail can’t change that nor do they want to. They’ve been very upfront that they don’t want to homogenize everything, which is what people are afraid of. They recognize their opportunity is to diversify. They know there is a customer out there who wants a Crested Butte and they want a product they can sell that person. That’s their intent. So they want Crested Butte to be Crested Butte, with a few more people to come and see Crested Butte.”

“Vail is a ski company,” added Erica. “That is its roots. They never sell a resort. They want skiing to prosper but keep it unique to what it is. I think they want to keep and celebrate our character. Their decisions here won’t be just something out of Broomfield. It was discussed with them and made our decision more comfortable.”

The new business model came into play

Ethan said that while considering whether to sell, the wave of ski area consolidation was a factor. “One realization we came to with Alterra and Vail is, whether we want it or like it, this is where the business is going. They’ll brand differently but at the end of the day they are similar. It’s been largely driven by consumers. Consumers are making these companies successful and they are asking for these things so we came to that realization.

“Our resort companies have been close to record years lately,” Ethan continued. “There wasn’t any one thing that clicked us into making the decision. Like any big decision, we talked about it a lot. The more we talked, the more obvious the answer became. It initially was a ‘Holy Crap’ moment but over time as we absorbed that and talked through the deal and all the stuff like the employees, the community, the personal stuff that was in the mix, it slowly made more sense.”

Jarnot said it made sense to the corporation as well. “Crested Butte is physically remarkable,” he emphasized. “The combination of the town, the setting, the wide-open spaces, the ski terrain, all add to the mix. The character of the town and the local businesses, the attitude of the locals, it all has a distinct flavor. Over time Crested Butte has developed its own strong personality and that is part of the appeal for some people who want to visit. The destination is distinct and different from other places and that is why it works for us.”

As for season passes, if the acquisition goes through, Vail will honor CBMR passes that have been purchased. Pass details can be found online at www.epicpass.com.

Expansion and housing

The proposed Teo-2 expansion currently going through the U.S. Forest Service review process will continue to do just that. Jarnot said his team has not seen the actual terrain but has looked at maps and photos. “We need to learn more about the expansion plan and what it provides for the guests,” he said. “We will evaluate it all and see what to do if it gets approved by the Forest Service.”

Jarnot said that good employees and their living situation is an important part of any business model. “We have been focused on affordable housing in our other resorts and the types of housing depend on the various resorts. In Breckenridge and Keystone we have significant employee housing that we own or control through master leases. In Park City, we don’t have as much. But it is a concern in every single mountain community in the West. We understand that we need it to operate our business.”

When the deal goes through, it will be Vail that is a new partner in the Brush Creek Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) contract and Vail will have a 25 percent say in the project. “I’ve heard about the Brush Creek proposal but don’t know a lot about it yet,” admitted Jarnot. “We are interested in understanding where CBMR was with it and see if there is opportunity there to create housing for our seasonal employees.”

Coming in, going out

Overall, Jarnot is excited to delve more into the community. “We went into this expecting it would be big news and a surprise, and it was,” he said. “We understand the concern to protect what is valued in the community. We are really excited about acquiring CBMR because it is Crested Butte and it is so individual and has such a strong character. That is what interests us. We have no interest in trying to change that. We have a lot more to learn about Crested Butte and I’ll be back there this summer and look forward to meeting with community members and talking about how we can be part of the community.”

There was some obvious emotion as Erica and Ethan discussed the sale in their office at the base of the Silver Queen.

“This is home for us,” Erica said. “A big part of our hearts is in Crested Butte.”

“It always will be home,” agreed Ethan.

“Like our parents in Okemo, we have developed a lot of good relationships and had a lot of good experiences here,” said Erica. “A lot of emotion came with the decision.”

“If we didn’t have a mostly positive feeling about it we wouldn’t be doing it,” concluded Ethan.