In June 2021, officials including Gov. Gary Herbert, Hill Air Force Base Commander Jenise Carroll and New York developer Gary Barnett were on site to celebrate the beginning of the development of the Mayflower resort adjacent to Deer Valley and across the highway from the Jordanelle. Including a military honor guard, an important part of the development is a hotel including 100 rooms reserved for military members and to be offered at discounted rates. So exciting was this that the Military Installation Development Authority board agreed to provide $260 Million in debt financing for the project.

This week it was announced, surprise, surprise, that Alterra is in talks about managing the resort, and that if that happens, consistent with Deer Valley, snowboarders would be banned.

Now, I don’t have a dog in the fight here as I am a skier, but does anyone believe the USAF collaborated in this project with an understanding that members of the military, including veterans, could only use the mountain if they ski? Surely not; no way.

---

---

Is it conceivable that Alterra management watched with glee as other entities did the heavy lifting to make the resort happen while just waiting for the opportunity to jump in and make it all appear part of Deer Valley?

I guess I am just cynical here. Of course, it is things like Hideout’s attempted annexation and Dakota Pacific’s duplicitous S.B. 84 along with now Alterra swooping in and not worrying about denying snowboarding military personnel that keeps me cynical in the area on any and all subjects having to do with large developments.

---

---

Jim Arnold

Jeremy  Ranch