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Show imp willies V, black," said Debby Sy-monds, Sy-monds, " and stick in a pin to show Park City." Potential visitors thought of Utah as a desert filled with Mormon polygamists who wouldn't let a person drink liquor. "They thought people were walking around with black hats and black beards," said Symonds. "Because I'm blond, people would ask, 'Are you Mormon?' Mor-mon?' And some didn't know it snowed here." Faced with that, some promoters overcompen-sated. overcompen-sated. "They'd say that it snowed constantly from December De-cember to April. And you could get drunk faster here than any other state," said Symonds. Councilwoman Lewis said the Utah image can even help Park City. "As much as we sometimes wish we could secede from the state, a little bit of that is good," she said. "Utah has a clean, wholesome whole-some feeling." In 1979, the newly-estab- Tina Lewis far as London and talked small conventions and meet- about Park City." By far, the easiest sales contacts to make are the familiarization tours of the city. These "fam-tours," said Kim Anderson, are often set up by travel firms with extensive contacts in other areas. "Western Airlines Air-lines will sell a tour to agents in the other cities they service," she said. The tours give a thorough overview of Park City's lodges, restaurants, restau-rants, and recreation, such as golf, tennis and crosscountry cross-country or downhill skiing. "We also point out the less obvious attractions, like windsurfing," said Symonds. Promoters still hit the road to sell Park City. They have aimed the sales pitch at such cities as Washington, D.C., Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami. ' Mexico and the South American countries are marketing targets because of their proximity. But Japan is also a promising ings. But promoters are always looking for ways to draw a wider variety of visitors. Kim Anderson points out that the area is a gateway to many national parks. "I would like to go after the tourist bus traffic and ask them, 'Why not stop over here?'" To increase its appeal, Park City hopes to get more amenities. "What I'd like to do is take out the hills between Prospector Square and Main Street and put in a big lake," quipped Reed. Other suggestions (maybe more realistic) include setting set-ting up dude ranches, a large ice-skating rink and a major arena. "We don't have an indoor area that could hold a big-name concert act or an auto show," noted Tina Lewis. "It's a question of the chicken or the egg," said Reed. "Do your big facilities bring in the tourists, or do "1 Visitors get the genuine feeling that Park City isn't just a resort. It's a real place. The town sells itself to people once they get here. 99 Councilwoman Tina Lewis lished Convention & Visitors Bureau helped to consolidate the marketing efforts of the lodges and resorts. Last year, the newly-merged Chamber of Commerce-Convention and Visitors Bureau had a $156,000 operating budget and a $185,000 promotional promo-tional budget, and a full-time staff of six. A Telex in their offices handles out-of-town requests to contact any local lodge or hotel. The Chamber-Bureau maintains a media list of sources across the country. Drawing from it, they send out press releases on such events as the yearly U.S. Film and Video Festival and U.S. Ski Team Celebrity Ski Classic. Working with the Utah Travel Council and the Utah Ski Association, it arranges for press tours from out of state. "We've invited key people from cities like San Francisco, Seattle and New York," said Kim Anderson. The city also attracts media attention when it hosts writers conventions. Said Tina Lewis, "This year we had a convention of travel writers who went home as area for Park City. "People there like to travel and they like the idea of the American West," said Lewis. "I didn't realize there were so many skiers there." Requests are coming in from Australia and New Zealand, and the market for European tourists tour-ists is beginning to open up. While Diane Reed said she likes traveling and congregating con-gregating with other sales people, there are occupational occupa-tional hazards to the road-like road-like the deja vu caused by identical hotel rooms. "I remember waking up in a room in the Atlanta Marriott, Mar-riott, which looked exactly like the room in the Miami Marriott where I stayed," she said. "And for a moment I thought, 'Am I in the right place? Is this the right day?'" Back at home, there are more serious questions. Can Park City, a popular ski attraction, also get the big business in summer, spring and autumn? "That's the $20 million question right now," said Reed. Summer is a harder sell, she said, and the area's best business that season is in the larger number of tourists enable you to build facilities?" facili-ties?" One marketing technique, said Reed, is to set up events that bring in a dependable yearly audience, plus draw tourists who happen to be in the area. Park City has a few of those novelties now the Art Festival in August, the U.S. Ski Team Celebrity Ski Classic in the winter, and the "Ride and Tie," a grueling, horseback-and-footrace held in the mountains every July. Promoters guestimate the average visitor is in the 25-45 -age group, upper to middle income, with many from the climes of nearby Southern California. That may be changing, however. The "Sun City" group has discovered Park City for the summer. They're 50- to 70-year-olds who live in the Southwest and like to shirk off the summer heat for the mountains. moun-tains. "There's been a tripling trip-ling every year in that group," said Symonds. Tina Lewis said there is also a summer-market potential in international groups and youth camps. While they may pine for big arenas, the local promoters pro-moters aren't pessimistic. The area has tennis facilities, facili-ties, three major golf courses and other amenities ameni-ties are coming every year. Steve Dering, formerly director of marketing at Deer Valley Resort, pointed out that Deer Valley, to the southeast, and the Park City Resort to the north, are solid business anchors in the -town like department stores positioned at ends of a shopping mall. "The town is still going through a maturing matur-ing process," Dering said. Selling an entire town is no small feat. It takes getting the message out in magazines maga-zines and newspapers, on the air, the telephone and the road. The message? Come to Park City, Utaaaah. Fred & Emmy Marshall are proud to announce the arrival of 12 A.K.C. pedigree Yellow Lab Pups. Kaya, the proud mother, will be sending them on their way around January 20th. Interested parties may call 649-8708 for more information. Park City News Thursday, Januar 6, 1983 Page A9 ri i x I ;..' ill! I M&rA !l. ill SILVER KING The Silver King ... Distinguished Condominiums, priced from $170,000 to $600,000. Studio, One bedroom, Two bedroom and Penthouse units available, completely furnished and accessorized. Now open for viewing. ---Telephone 649-3600. Park City LAND COMPANY Looking for a special meal? See our Mountain Sustenance Empire Coalition ... Each individual unit has: ' 2 bedrooms, 2 baths Oak woodwork throughout Washerdryer hook-up ' Full kitchen Woodburning fireplace Redwood deck or patio Convenient to: All major activity centers ' Skiing Golf Shopping Dining Tennis Amenities include: Tennis court Outdoor hot tub Underground parking Park City ... a four-season resort FOOD FOR THOUGHT Cheese shop Convenience store Deli market Live Maine lobster Shopping sen-ice available upon request. Located at the Park City Village, Ice Rink level, 649-4746. real estate COALITION at P.O. Box 1616, Park City Utah 84060 (801) 649-4400 REAllOR HOiGA MN. 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