Gov. Huntsman bites his lip, and refrains from physically assaulting Boss Godfrey
Fascinating article in today's Standard-Examiner... fascinating that is, if you know a little bit about the winter sports marketing industry -- as your blogmeister does. What happened is that "somebody" scheduled a "special" ski equipment "demo day" at Snow Basin.
"Demo Days" are nothing unusual in the ski industry. Ski industry manufacturers routinely show up with their vans with samplings of their latest products ski at resorts all over the world. These events happen hundreds of time a year.
What's "special" about this... The Governor of Utah was in attendance, along with some sixty ski industry reps, including Roger Tolermo, the CEO of the Amer Sports, largest Ski Company On the Planet!
Those in the know realize that Governor Huntsman loses no love for Boss Godfrey, a so-called "Republican" whose chief advisor is the Democrat Ex-Senator, Ed Allen. And we doubt Huntsman and Godfrey ever "cleared the air" over the bogus endorsements.
Kudos for Huntsman for biting his lip.
A Weber County Forum Tip o' the Hat to governor Huntsman for his fortitude in supporting Ogden... Utah even... in promoting Ogden as the world's best winter vacation spot, and the place at which ski companies most like to locate in herds.
© 2005 - 2014 Weber County Forum™ -- All Rights Reserved
10 comments:
I have a new freeze-proof powder snow snorkel invention. I'm hoping soon to get some tax increment financing, and to locate in Ogden.
Is there anyone who can tell me how to discretely contact mayor godfrey?
Thanks in advance.
Well, in the last week, a company announced a $100 million hotel downtown, and another announced a major hotel renovation. And the old AmCan building hosted 60 ski industry people including the CEO of the world's largest ski company. The AmCan used to be the home of rats and pigeons, and now this. As long as it's downtown, and most all private money what's not to like?
It appears the secret is getting out. I knew Ogden was a unique place when I moved here decades ago, and I've liked it ever since. All these people will eventually mean Ogden will become like every other crowded, polluted place.
It would be nice if somehow, the development in downtown would stay there, and leave the benches the way they are so I can stay. Otherwise I'll plan on selling my houses in 5 years for a nice profit, and moving - Idaho, Montana, North Dakota - who knows?
Ogden, old girl, you were a good time. But Danny hates a crowd.
All the people I know who live in Idaho, Montana and North Dakota are thinkin' about Alaska...
All my Alaska friends are looking forward to the Mars colonization missions.
Don'r run away, Danny!
Fight for your righteous local lifestyle!
Don't be a pussy!
Ralf,
The real question then perhaps, is this -
Do Idaho, Montana, or North Dakota have the same endearingly wacko characters at Ogden? Probably not. Maybe you're right and one should stay put.
Alaska is too cold and Mars too oxygen deficient to even consider.
Ya oughta get a load of Harrisville.
Just a few names have been changed, to make my point.
That Bob Dylan was a pretty prescient guy.
(c) 1965 Bob Dylan
===
Ogden Blues
The sweet pretty things are in bed now of course
The city fathers they're trying to endorse
The reincarnation of Peterson's Gondola of course
But the town has no need to be nervous
The ghost of Belle Starr she hands down her wits
To Jezebel the nun she violently knits
A bald wig for Jack the Ripper who sits
At the head of the chamber of commerce
Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for the fuse
I'm in the streets
With the Ogden blues
The hysterical bride in the penny arcade
Screaming she moans, "I've just been flown"
Then sends out for the iFly who shuts down the blower
Says, "My advice is to not open on Sundays"
Now the economic development man comes inside
He walks with a swagger and he says to the bride
"Stop all this weeping, swallow your pride
You will not die, it's Costa Vida"
Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for the fuse
I'm in the streets
With the Ogden blues
Well, Jon the Baptist after torturing a thief
Looks up at his hero the Little Mayor-in-Chief
Saying, "Tell me great hero, but please make it brief
Is there a hole for me to get sick in?"
The Little Mayor-in-Chief answers him while chasing a fly
Saying, "Death to all those who would naysay and cry"
And dropping a barbell he points to the sky
Saving, "The gym's not yellow it's Golden"
Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for the fuse
I'm in the streets
With the Ogden blues
The king of the Philistines his soldiers to save
Puts jawbones on their tombstones and flatters their graves
Puts the pied pipers in prison and fattens the slaves
Then sends them out to the jungle
Gypsy Bobby with a blowtorch he burns out their camps
With his faithful slave Blake behind him he tramps
With a fantastic collection of stamps
To win friends and influence his daddy
Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for the fuse
I'm in the streets
With the Ogden blues
The geometry of innocent flesh on the bone
Causes Dan S.'s math book to get thrown
At G-Train who sits worthlessly alone
But the tears on her cheeks are from laughter
Now I wish I could give Brother Ed his great thrill
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
He could die happily ever after
Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for the fuse
I'm in the streets
With the Ogden blues
Where Al Capone and Beethoven once unwrapped their bed roll
Tuba players now rehearse around the flagpole
And the National Bank at a profit sells road maps for the soul
To the old folks home and the college
Now I wish I could write you a melody so plain
That could hold you dear lady from going insane
That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain
Of your useless and pointless knowledge
Mama's in the fact'ry
She ain't got no shoes
Daddy's in the alley
He's lookin' for the fuse
I'm in the streets
With the Ogden blues
I recieved a copy of the Wasatch Journal Winter 2008 and read:
"Seven years ago, Ogden was Utah's outcast Uncle. Dirty and decaying, its storefronts were boarded up. The city's historic 25th Street slunk nightly into noir; prostitutes and drug dealers staked out corners; drunks and small-town gangsters wandered the alleys. What people saw as a dead end, the newly elected mayor 29-year-old mayor saw as an opportunity."
The article highlights Utah and the outdoor recreation, but it refers back to the Gondola many times throughout the article. It state how the Geigers and Mike Douse saved the city from ruin. It was written by the editor William Kerig. I did have to laugh when it states the refurbished shopping mall was re-named the Salomon Center. This one sentence showed me that he really didn't have a clue about Ogden and the pride most of have for the city now and before the current mayor was elected. I hope those small time gangsters didn't move to the 9th floor of city hall. I know he wasn't familiar with the mall being torn down, the vacant field for years, the million dollar lawsuits that were paid, or the money put into the American Can Building or the parking structure. I also know there are more boarded up businesses in town now than seven years ago, China Night, Cross Western Wear, and most of the businesses on the east side of Washington.
I am glad the ski companies are here, and hope they stay around to enjoy Ogden and the parks and the ski areas and the mountains. They bring a lot of needed new ideas and hopefully support the city. I also hope they develop those ideas without city finaces or bonds or sweetheart deals that the taxpayers guarantee for the long haul.
Good Reader,
I was interested in your thought, as to whether AmerSports Winter & Outdoors was here to stay, in Ogden. I also noted, as per Standard Examiner article on the AmerSports Winter Summit, that AmerSports CEO RogerTolermo, who flew in from Helsinki to participate in this Winter Summit, was visiting Ogden for the first time. Both facts inspired me to research how the Helsinki-based parent company is doing, as it reports its year end financials.
ABN Newswire reports, on 1.10.08, the specifics of the optimization and restructuring of AmerSprots Winter & Outdoors division, globally. Stating a 27% fall off in 2007 sales, from 2006, as the reason:
"We continue to develop our business model, with a goal of reaching a solid level of profitability for our winter sports business regardless of market conditions. This includes cost leadership enabling us to continue to invest in our strong brands. Our ambition is to increase our market share in winter sports equipment from its current 30% level to 40% globally," says Roger Talermo, Amer Sports Corporation President and CEO.
For whole article, go to:
http://www.abnnewswire.net/press/en/46872/Amer_Sports_Announces_Next_Stage_In_Plan_To_Optimize_The_Structure_OfIts_Winter_And_Outdoor_Business_Winter_Sports_Equipment_Sales_LowerThan_Expected_In_December.html
According to other articles, regarding AmerSports brands to be marketed through Ogden-based NA HQ AmerSports Winter & Outdoors, more than just Suunto, Atomic and Salomon brands may have moved, or be moved, to Ogden. Presently the additional brands seem to include: Bonfire Boards, Marvic and Arc’teryx. As per AmerSports stock update from 7.2.07, moving all 6 brands to Ogden, for NA marketing and distribution, seems to have been the plan, even at that time:
“Salomon, Atomic, Mavic, Arc'teryx and Bonfire will form the new Winter & Outdoor business unit..”
The success of the AmerSports Winter Summit in Ogden, this week, as well as Mr. Talermo’s flying in to join the event, only underscores AmerSprots apparent plans to continue to keep their NA HQ for all their winter and outdoor brands in Ogden.
Most winter, ski and outdoor industry commentators seem to agree that AmerSports has made a good decision. First media attendee to publish his enthusiasm for AmerSports W&O Winter Summit, was Johnny Stifter, Powder Magazine:
“Thanks again for a great few days last week. I had a blast meeting and visiting with all of you and shredding it up at Snowbasin, despite drilling a stump with my un-helmeted head on the first run.”
His article:
OGDEN AWAKENING: Salomon and Atomic Debut New Sticks
http://www.powdermag.com/features/news/ogden_salomon_atomic/
He concludes:
“Governors, Mayors, Czars, Nukes, Thugs, gondolas and Shockillas aside, these Ogden-based brands have renewed momentum with quality products, people, offices, and location.”
As AmerSports and additional NA HQ for other winter and outdoor equipment companies choose Ogden as their new home, the media that covers these equipment companies and their marketing events will continue to come, and come back. They will be handed press packets provided, in Ogden’s case, by the sponsor company, by Mayor Godfrey’s office and by the O/W:cvb. No surprise there. And in some cases, these kits or speeches will continue to include one of Mayor Godfrey’s favorite marketing points: a gondola, to somewhere. Stifter noted that in his article:
“ Mayor Godfrey rattled off a convincing pitch as to why Ogden is America’s latest and greatest outdoor-adventure city, citing cheap greens fees, world-class skiing and biking out the backdoor, and the redevelopment of 60 downtown acres with 120 more in the works along with a possible gondola rising from Ogden up to Mount Ogden. “
I am not privy to which “120 acres” were being referred to. I assume the 60 acres are Ogden Renaissance Village, to-be, and the Ogden River Development area. It is the 120 acres that has me concerned. I remember that in April 2007, the Utah Board fo Regeants directed Weber State University not to sell any of their undeveloped 120,000 bench land for commercial development. To Petersen or any other development. Stating that they needed to keep it for future expansion of WSU.
In the comment queues of WCF, many of you have blogged your feelings that what Chris Petersen does on his 1440 acres (give or take) of Mt Ogden bench land, to include Malan’s Basin, he is welcome to. As long as it does not require any Ogden City owned land as part of the project, or Ogden City tax credits as part of the financing arrangements.
This discussion of a tram in Ogden has been going on, researched and studied for 100 years. The Ogden Sierra Club has detailed the time line, and studies paid for:
History fo the MT Ogden Tram Concept
http://utah.sierraclub.org/ogden/OgdenFront/TramHistory.html
As the Ogden Sierra Club continues its investigation into the legal documents recently drawn up to “protect” the Mt. Ogden lands (golf course, neighborhood park and 60 acres of open space), I am confident that WCF contributors will continue to voice their strong opinions that nothing good can replace Ogden City owned Mt Ogden open space. Nothing that would beneift all Ogden City and Weber County residents. As well, I am sure all of us will continue to thank WSU, backed up by the Utah Board fo Regents, for maintaining a strong hold on WSU's 130,000 acres of open space.
Although Mayor Godfrey seems to be stuck in his gondola groove, as he markets Ogden to the outdoor media, many divergent outdoor media representatives have commented, and continue to do so, that Ogden’s commitment to the outdoors continues to be implemented at a convincing pace. In spite of no apparent Gondola. In spite of no clear development plans presented by Chris Petersen for Malan’s Basin. In the Winter Summit SE article, Outside Magazine senior editor John Bradley had an interesting way of summing it up:
“"Being in the outdoor industry, I've heard about Ogden. To see a city that looks at outdoor recreation as a way to reinvent itself has to be refreshing."
And yes, boys, I am sure god will provide an Iggy’s Sports Bar. Soon.
et
Great post.
But an Iggy's Sport Bar in Godfreyland? Ya gotta be kidding, unless you can train those sinners to get wrist bands and stand behind roped in areas so that every one can tell the beer swillers from us decent folks. And of course never on Sunday!
I was only giving I AM LEGEND a little wiggle room:
I am Legend said...(1.14.08)
Good for Godfrey -
$100 Million Hotel.
$20 Million Water Park.
$Millions in River Clean Up.
Retail moving back in.
Pedestrian walking and shopping villages.
An Iggy's restaurant. (IGGY'S SPORTS BAR)
Larry Miller Multiplex.
and forthcoming....GONDOLA!
Especially because I do not want to ride on his GONDOLA.
Post a Comment