Getting air, losing a ski. Photo taken at the opening of Sun Valley's new terrain park by Nils Ribi. Read more about the terrain park on Ribi's blog.

See more photos on the New West Images photoblog.

Monday Business Roundup

Digging Out, Officials Tally Losses

The big cleanup after Snowstorm No. 3 is just getting underway, especially on the eastern plains, where the cattle industry got hit hard by Blizzards I & II. In use this week are eight-wheel-drive Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks, or "hemmits," from the National Guard, relaying hay to stranded cattle.

The estimates of economic damages from the New Year's storms are reaching into the hundreds of millions, but early forecasts that foresaw record cattle losses have proven exaggerated already: the latest guess is that under 5000 of the 300,000 or so snowbound livestock in southeastern Colorado have perished -- way south of the 30,000 cattle, worth $28 million, lost in the 1997 blizzard. Estimating financial losses from natural disasters is an inexact science, particularly since those doing the initial figures have every reason to inflate the damage in hopes of getting federal assistance.

For farmers on the eastern plains, the snowclouds may even have a silver lining: The December-January snowstorms will increase the moisture content in the soil, which could lead to a more fertile 2007 growing season in the drought-racked areas of Colorado.

“This is the first time since 2001 you can actually think about how maybe you’ll make more money from farming than by selling the water,” Lamar farmer Dale Mauch told the Pueblo Chieftain.

In other business news: The ski industry hasn't profited from the snowstorms, either; economists differ on whether recession will hit in 2007; and Colorado's biggest business scandal of the 1990s nears the punishment phase.

WRITERS WANTED

Wanna Write for New West SLC?

Wanna write for New West? We’re looking for writers to help flesh out the Salt Lake City node. If you’re a resident of Salt Lake (or Park City, Ogden, Provo, St. George, or Tooele) and want to contribute stories on current events, politics, arts and entertainment, or simply mouth off about what is going on around you, hey—do it for us.

Not too Jazzed about "The Dump"

From Delta Center to EnergySolutions Arena, with Love

Not wanting to be associated with those losers over at Delta, the Jazz have chosen to align themselves with…a nuclear waste dump? No, really. Yesterday, literally dozens of EnergySolutions and Jazz employees cheered the decision to change the name of the Delta Center to the EnergySolutions Arena. But, according to reports in both The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News, though most Jazz fans "don’t mind the change," Salt Lake City residents find the idea of connecting our city’s basketball team to hazardous waste management less than awesome. And associations aside, "EnergySolutions Arena" doesn't exatly roll off the tongue.

Trading the arena’s moniker might have seemed like a good plan on paper, what with the beleaguered Delta Airlines facing hostile takeover and all. I mean, no sports fan wants to associate “hostile takeovers” with their basketball team. But what about corporate fraud or, in basketball speak, the flagrant foul? Yes, despite efforts to clean up their image, EnergySolutions, formerly Envirocare, has its own checkered past in Utah.

THE BLAST OF THE LITTLE GUYS

Utah’s Gas-Price Probe Points the Finger

Earlier this month Gov. Huntsman vowed to get to the bottom of Utah’s mysteriously high gas prices and the report is in; much to the displeasure of gas station owners who have been branded the big baddies and the leading factor in a list of 9 obstacles keeping Utah’s gas prices above the national average.

Utah Department of Commerce Director Francine Giani, speaking to The Salt Lake Tribune stated that it is Joe Blow gas station owners who are making “extremely healthy profits off Utah consumers.”

MAGIC BUS

UTA Tries Wi-Fi on the No. 72 Route From Ogden to SLC

If books, newspapers and iPods weren’t enough to keep bus commuters occupied, they will now be able to pull out their laptops and do homework, research or even email mom and dad while they ride to work or school. This week Utah Transit Authority began its trial run providing wireless internet service on the No. 72 route, which runs from Ogden to Salt Lake City. UTA with the help of the help of the Parvus Company attached routers to 4 buses on the No. 72 route with Wi-Fi provided by Sprint’s mobile service.

The cost to outfit each bus with the magic of Wi-Fi? Around $5000.

So far UTA has covered the cost, but if the test run is successful will that burden then shift to the commuter? For those able to reap the benefits of the Wi-Fi service this may not be a problem, but will all UTA patrons eventually pay the price?

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

LDS Church Finally Reveal Redevelopment Plans For Downtown SLC

The heart of downtown Salt Lake City is slated for a major overhaul. On Tuesday The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints revealed their plan to rejuvenate Salt Lake’s deteriorating downtown area with open-air shopping, green space, offices and residential living space. Reaction to the plan has been largely positive, but of course large-scale change is always a bit unsettling.

The largely vacant Crossroads mall and ZCMI center will both be demolished and in their place, chic shops, apartments and garden space will be constructed. The newly christened, City Creek Center will have fountains and running water in the form of a replicated City Creek running down its center.

While many local businesses are pleased with the overall plan and potential end result of the project, Christopher Smart’s article in The Salt Lake Tribune outlined some merchant’s concerns. Some expressed major disappointment at hearing Macys and Nordstrom will not remain open during the demolition and construction venture. Richard Wirick who owns the Oxford Shop told Smart, “That’s kind of a nightmare. We were counting on them to stay open. It’s going to be rough on us.”

ALL WE ARE SAYING, IS GIVE SCHOOL A CHANCE

School Impact Fees Could Create New Cash for Schools, But Pro-Development Groups Say, “No Way.”

Utah public schools are in trouble, boasting the lowest per-pupil spending in the country and class sizes fit to burst. With that in mind and a $76 million missed opportunity looming large educators and some state officials are looking to a new solution: impact fees.

The hope is that impact fees, placed on new homes sold in the valley would provide an extra pool of money for Utah schools. Sounds great, but the plan has drawn furious criticism from some Utah developers and real estate agents who claim the fees place an unfair burden on new homebuyers.

NUMBER 5 WITH A BULLET

Gas Prices in Utah 5th Highest in the Nation

The numbers are in and Utah is currently ranked at number 5 in the nation for the highest gas prices, only outranked by Nevada, California, Idaho and Hawaii.

Rolayne Fairclough, spokeswoman for AAA Utah told The Salt Lake Tribune Wednesday, "We're the fifth-highest among all the states, and that's pretty unusual for Utah this time of year. Typically, prices are falling at a pretty good clip by now."

With prices across the nation sinking as low as $2.31 in Ohio, we have to ask…what’s gives?

PAIN IN THE GAS

Utah Gas Prices Remain High Despite Falling National Prices

Gas prices are falling throughout the nation, in some cases as much as 22 cents. According to an article by Zack Van Eyck in the Deseret Morning News, “The national average for self-serve regular stood at approximately $2.65 on Sept. 8, down from about $2.87, according to the Lundberg Survey of 7,000 gas stations across the country.”

So why are prices in Utah remaining steady at $2.95 per gallon?