Local Red Lady Coalition funds detailed analysis of economy

Looking for unbiased data over 18-month period

The Red Lady Coalition (RLC) has signed on to have one of the most detailed studies ever attempted in Gunnison County completed by November 2010. The 18-month project will explore the connections between the environment, the economy and the people who come to the area. Ultimately the RLC wants to determine the extent of the effects a mine on Mt. Emmons would have on the tourist-based economy.

“We think it’s pretty exciting,” says RLC president Bill Ronai. “It’s always been the Red Lady Coalition’s thesis that a mine in a tourism-lifestyle based economy is value-destructive. This project is being done to test that idea.”
The Center for Applied Research of Denver will conduct the study. They started gathering data from governmental agencies last week. Three large surveys will also be conducted. A survey of residents will be held, along with surveys of winter and summer visitors. In addition, Ronai says, they will interview a sampling of people across the country who have expressed an interest in relocating to a mountain community.
“We felt that a mine will create jobs, but at what cost to the economy?” Ronai said. “There will also probably be jobs lost. We really want the details of the impacts.
“We also want transparency in the study,” Ronai continued.
“The Center for Applied Research has made it clear they want an unbiased survey that can be held up to peer review, and we agree with that. In fact, we will ask Thompson Creek to provide input to the survey at the appropriate time. We want it to be as unbiased as possible. We don’t want holes in the survey. We are spending a lot of money to get a good, thorough survey.”
Ronai said if the study comes back and shows a mine will not have a negative impact on the current lifestyle-based economy, “Then so be it. We don’t think that will be the case, but if it is, the study will be based on real, hard data.”
Center for Applied Research president Robby Robinson said the company would produce an unbiased study. “Our goal is to provide a detailed, objective analysis of the county’s economic strengths and vulnerabilities and to create an economic modeling capability that will show the relative importance of local segments of the county economy.”
The idea of the survey is to “take the data to a higher level of specificity when looking at the drivers of the economy,” Ronai said. “Don’t just look at tourism but look at all the levels of tourism. Look at the visitors. Look at the second homeowner. Look at the people who visited and then moved here. We want to be more segmented than previous studies and understand how each of the segments drives the economy.
“Ultimately, in a simplistic sense, the study should help us determine what is the likely outcome to Y if you do X,” Ronai continued. “The economy and its relationship to the environment and the people have never been looked at in such detail before. We are peeling back more layers of the onion with this study. It should produce a comprehensive, dynamic model of Gunnison County.”
The RLC was formed in 2007 by a group of individuals and organizations throughout Gunnison County for the purpose of preserving and protecting both the environment and economic growth within Gunnison/Crested Butte, and educating the public regarding impacts on both from the potential establishment of industrial mining on Mt. Emmons. The group came about as a world-renowned mining company, Thompson Creek Metals Company, bought an interest in mining molybdenum from Mt. Emmons.
Ronai said this was the first large project being conducted under the RLC flag. “Trying to find out the real reasons people come here is a pretty important part of the discussion,” Ronai said. “Hopefully this will help us understand that better and everyone can make better, informed decisions as a result.”