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Show THE PARK RECORD wwwjnrfcreoorcLcom WED/THURS/FRI, DECEMBER 8-10, 2004 B-9 Business. BUSINESS EDTTOR: Matt James 649-9014 ext 110 burinen@parkreoorcLoofn Briefe . Sid Classic helps Deer \folley kick-off season Mountainlands to hold Open House Olympians, celebrities join for skiraces,benefit for U.S. Ski and Snowboarding By MATT JAMES Of the Record staff Mountainlands Community Housing Trust will hold an open house to thank the community for its support and celebrate the holidays. The event will be Tuesday, Dec, 14 from 3-6 p.m. at the organization's office, which is located at 1960 Sidewinder Drive, Suite 107. For more information or to RSVR call 647-9719. Oil, Gas and Mining board seeks nominations for Earth Day Awards The Utah Board of Oil, Gas and mining is looking for nominations for its 2005 Earth Day Awards. Each year, the awards are presented to companies, organizations and individuals who go beyond required regulations to help protect the environment while developing Utah's natural resources. Awards are presented in three areas; oil and gas, minerals mining and coal mining. There are specific categories in each area. The board began the Earth Day Award program in 1992, and since then more than 60 organizations and individuals have been awarded for their excellence. Nominations must be received no later than January 31, 2005. For more information contact Mary Porter at (801) 538-5327 or Jim Springer at (801)538-5324. X Company offers insurance for your season pass, more * SkierCuard policy protects skiers and boarders against season pass losses, evacuations and disasters Deer VaWey joins Ski Utah's Interconnect Tour . • '. for buying a season pass. "The early purchaser has a longer periOf the Record staff od of risk and thus benefits from this," he It seems reasonable to insure a $1,000 noted. investment doesn't it? That's what Ron Additionally, the program protects Iverson at Skier Insurance Services against a temporary loss of pass, provided thought when he created SkierGuard. a person cannot use the pass for more than SkierGuard offers insurance for poli- 30 days. cies for customers' ski resort season pass"If you gel injured or sick and your es. It works with a season pass from most doctor says you can't ski for 30 days, you'd resorts in the country, including those in be reimbursed for that amount of lime." Utah. Several exclusions do apply though. The insurance, which costs 6 percent of Among other things, skiers are not covthe price of a pass and works with either ered if an injury is pre-existing, if it was limited or unlimited passes, protects sustained during an interscholastic sports against events that might cause a pass competition, if they were skiing out of holder to lose the use of a season pass. It bounds, or if they were heli-skiing. also provides $15,000 insurance against SkierGuard does protect a season any emergency evacuation from the ski against any injury sustained while skiing at area, and $10,000 against death or dis- any resort. memberment there. "A person is covered at all times, in any However, according to Iverson. most of part of the world," said Iverson with the claims his company has dealt with regard to the season pass protection. involve season passes. The other aspects of SkierGuard are • "The most common type of loss is the more limited. The insurance against death loss of season pass," said Iverson. and dismemberment, and the emergency Once the insurance policy and the sea- evacuation insurance - which covers helison pass are purchased, a skier is protect- copter and special ambulance rescues ed against any injury or illness that causes from a ski area - can only be used at the him or her to be unable to use a season areas where a skier's season pass is valid. pass. Thai insurance is particularly useful Iverson noted that the insurance is par- when a shortfall occurs in a persons priticularly useful in light of early deadlines mary health insurance. If that insurance By MATT JAMES Deer Vallev Resort has signed up to participate in the Ski Utah Interconnected venture Tour this season. / The guJtied tour uses backcountry ski route,?-to ski between as many as six rescVts in the same day and runs, weathor permitting, from Dec. 15 to late April. The resorts along the route include Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, Solitude Mountain Re/sort, Brighton Resort, Alta Ski Jtrea, and Snowbird Ski and Summer fResort. \f The tour costs $150, and requires some physical fitness and advanced ski ability although no backcountry experience is necessary. The fee includes guide service, lift access, lunch, use of an avalanche transceiver, transportation back to the point of origin, and a special-edition finisher's pin. Saturday was an idyllic day for the Merrill Lynch Celebrity Ski Classic and a perfect day for Deer Valley Resort to open for the season. The skies were sunny; there was adequate snow coverage at mid-mountain; up higher there was unlracked snow, and it was a bit above freezing in the sun. All of these things made for a great day on the mountain and pleasant lunches outdoors. The Celebrity Ski Classic, which was held at Deer Valley, offered the resort an excellent way to kick-off the 2004-2005 ski-year. "It's just a really fun way to kick-off our season," said Erin Grady, communications coordinator for Deer Valley. "It's a great community event and great media coverage." 'Die event, which will be televised on CBS Sports on Sunday, Dec. 12, at 5 p.m. following the NFL game, featured a ProAm race on Saturday and a race featuring celebrities and Olympians on Sunday. At the bottom of the race course there was a social, festive and relaxed atmosGRAYSON WEST I PARK RECORD phere as celebrities like Buzz Aldrin. Kevin Sorbo, Judge Joe Brown and Joe Former Olympian Billy Kidd shows that age hasn't dulled his turns in his run through the course on Saturday afternoon Pantoliano mingled with Olympians like Jim Shea Jr., Diann Roffe, Tommy Moe. being fun and competitive," said Bill "Almost half of the ski team budget American opening of the World Cup, he Heidi Voelker, and Phil and Steve Lawrence, the sponsorship manager for comes from the private fundraisers," noted that the Celebrity Ski Classic could Mahre. There was plenty of good food, IMG, which ran the event. noted Tommy Moc, gold medalist in the garner Utah some national press. "I'm and everyone seemed to enjoy the sun. Saturday the celebrities and 1994 Olympic downhill and silver medal- very upset that we did not have the "I don't think that anybody has expe- Olympians were paired with amateurs in ist in the 1994 Olympic Super G. "You American opening," said Eriksen. rienced anything like this, today," said teams, and on Sunday the races featured can never have enough money for But. he said, "If we couldn't have the Stein Eriksen, Deer Valley's director of the Olympians and celebrities together national teams," he said, "because every- American opening, what we're having on teams. Both days, the team with the thing we do costs a lot of money." skiing, about the event. now is a good replacement." "I think when you benefit something "It's fun for everybody to meet these quickest average time won. The great snow, happy people and athletes." said Sorbo star of Hercules: "I think they just have a great time," like this, il benefits all people in the quality event all showed how great The Legendary Journeys and Gene said Lawrence. "Usually we dont have to sport," said Sorbo, noting the exposure Utah's skiing was, Eriksen noted. and the support the ski team will receive Roddcnbcrry's Andromeda. ask twice. Sorbo commended the events orga'Jlie ski classic, which was sponsored from the event. nizers for their efforts, noting his experiSorbo noted that his skiing experience "It's an invaluable partnership with ence at celebrity golf tournaments. was limited. "I'm a four handicap in golf by Merrill Lynch, raised money for the and a 28 handicap in skiing," he said. "I U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team through Deer Valley." said Lawrence. "They just "This is run just as well as any golf an auction Saturday night. take grade 'A* care of our guests." didn't pick it up until I was 30." event with a lot more money behind it," According to Lawrence, the event has For his part, Eriksen was happy with he said. However, he noted the event was very worthwhile. Despite his modesty. Sorbo been successful. Last year, the event's the exposure the event provided Deer "We definitely want to give proper turned in a solid performance on Sunday best, $50,000 was raised for the ski and Valley. Park City and Ulah skiing in gen- thanks to Deer Valley and all the lodging snowboard team. This year's tally was eral. to win his race. partners." said Lawrence. Without them, While he lamented the loss of the he noted, the event wouldn't be possible. "It's sort of the perfect balance of not yet available. '••' only covers a portion of an evacuation get from having to deal with unhappy cusfrom the ski area. SkierGuard will cover tomers." the rest of the cost (up to $15,000). Currently, while each of the resorts has Skier Insurance Services began to offer heard about the policy, none of the resorts SkierGuard in August of 2003. Iverson in Park City offer the insurance either at said il was an offshoot of the organiza- their tickel offices or online. For now they tions parent company. Tourist Insurance are taking a "wait and see" approach to Services, which offers similar insurance for the policies. In some cases, the resorts' travel plans. own policies provide similar benefits to "One of our employees," said Iverson, SkierGuard. "who is also a skier, came up with the idea "We already do reimburse our pass of migrating [his policy (for travel insur- holders if they suffer an injury," said ance) to season passes." Krista Rowles PaYry. Park City Mountain In the company's first year of offering Resort s public relations manager. SkierGuard. about 150 policies were sold. Deer Valley Resort provides season So far. Iverson said the company has field- pass refunds for injuries on a case-by-case ed "15 to 17" claims. basis, according to Christa Graff, its com"'Hie first season was pretty much a munications manager. break-even situation." said Iverson. The Canyons does not offer reimburseThis year, however, has seen a signifi- ments. cant expansion of the program. Several In the future he said the company is resorts around the country, Alyeska looking to insure add-ons to season passes Resort in Alaska and Aspen Highlands. - things like ski lockers and preferred Aspen Mountain. Buttermilk and parking spots. And overall, he thinks there Snowmass in Colorado, are selling the pol- is significant room for growth in season icy through their tickel offices. That way. a pass insurance. customer can simply ask to add the insur"It has many benefits for both the skier ance on to his or her season pass purchase. and the industry," he said. "With time I While the resorts do receive a commis- believe that more and more resorts will sion for selling the policies (15 percent of a become involved." sale for offering it at their licket offices, 10 Many consider a season pass a signifipercent for posting an online link to Skier cant investment after all, so for those peoInsurance's website). Iverson says that the ple, the policy might very well make sense. benefit of selling the insurance is more A co fnpi fte list of qualifications for than financial. SkierGuard can he found at "'l*he reason they do this," he said, "is http://\ v i vw. skierinsurana: t om/satnplenot the financial gain, but the release they cert.php. PARK CITY REAL ESTATE FREE 30-DAY PASS' •ir HOTEL PARK CITY Ourgijl la )<>u Experience our state-of-the-art health club for $I4.g/month and enjoy: . $50.00 towards one hosted spa treatment each month Professional, friendly real estate service for buyers and sellers in ;:. 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