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Show wiEWflDnRrcr It's simple: no guts, no glory It is admittedly a gamble. Craig Badami, vice president of the Park City Ski Area is the first to agree, but he says it is a calculated gamble. Choosing to kick off the ski season on Thanksgiving Thanksgiv-ing weekend in some circles may be viewed as premature. But, as Badami is fond of saying, "no guts.no glory." While much of the rest of the ski world is watching wat-ching the clouds and hoping for the gods to be kind so they can get on with the season, as soon as the temperatures drop enough the Park City Ski Area gets started creating the season. For weeks now Joe Malina and his crew of snowgods have worked wonders in the dark and cold to crank up the three new compressors and 14 new guns making snow on the ski hills. By week's end, 10 million gallons of water will have been turned into several feet of snow. And that's just the skiing side. When you plan a party for the rest of the ski world you better be certain you can keep it entertained before, during and even after the races. It is here Park City has created an international name for itself. Trade journals from the ski industry point to last year's "America's Opening" as the premier event of last season. The music, the food, the fireworks and the festival atmosphere together created excitement about skiing that is rarely seen in a non-Olympic year. This year the top pro racers, men and women, will race head- to-head and fly over five-foot jumps to thrill the spectators who have come to count on Park City to showcase the best the ski world has to offer. The purse for the event is $160,000 the largest of any stop on the womens tour, in the top three for the men. Sponsors have lined up to participate, including VISA, Rolex, Editorial Revlon, and Coca-Cola. No small time affair, no sir. More to the party side, Badami points out this year's sound system on the hill is 20 percent greater than last year's. Plus, there will be an even bigger party for the people off the hill,. in fact, on Main Street. "We're taking it to the streets" he says with no apologies to the Doobie Brothers. And with the past track record, no one duobts Friday's street dance will be memorable. While other ski towns are wondering just what to be thankful for on Thanksgiving, Park City already knows. Since the advent of "America's Opening," retailers and inn keepers can count on people being in town shopping, sleeping, and eating consistently earlier than most other ski areas. It's becoming a tradition this town is getting get-ting used to. Badami says plans are already underway for next year's "America's Opening" and will most likely include a Christmas television special which the ski area will syndicate itself. And for the 1989-90 ski season Park City is again slated to open the World Cup circuit. It is all admittedly a gamble. But that's part of why we live here. Risk-takers like Badami keep us on the edge. ..the cutting edge.. .the racer's edge. And while the ski towns in other states are trying figure where to position themselves we've already carved out a spot where we belong. . .on top. That's a gamble but you know, we wouldn't have it any other way. 4" 1 . i I ..i n f; s 'i 1 i i Tk.-..-' A , - H ( SO WE SAID, TO MEClfC ' JNC-r BUfeeEkS AMD WCH ThnmlDfi Din. Thnmlhs DDnwn II t V Ml Matt Snyder Snow Guns, not Snow Gods Unfortunately Mother Nature didn't come through for us this Thanksgiving. As of Tuesday Tues-day afternoon, none of the area resorts are scheduled to open this weekend. But if skiing is your thing, you'll get lots of opportunity to watch during America's Opening at the Park City Ski Area. THUMBS UP - to Joe Malina and his crew of Snow Gods for creating the mounds of man-made man-made white stuff on the mountain. What would we do without you? X? THUMBS UP - to the cast and crew of the Park City High School's recent production of NIGHTMARE HIGH SCHOOL. New drama teacher Christopher Maddox should be pleased pleas-ed with the talent he has uncovered. THUMBS UP - to the Park City Recreation department for sponsoring the volleyball clinic held last Wednesday. For those of us who didn't grow up spiking on the beach but still want to compete anyway it was a big help! THUMBS DOWN- to the this year's Snowflaker's Ball. Maybe it was the theme or the band or the lack of spark generated on the part of the ChamberBureau but it just didn't have enough pizazz to melt a snowball. IFir ttlne MecdDirdl What's your favorite part of Thanksgiving, and what are you thankful for? PfiTfWF Jonathan Massimino & V Johanna Manwaring y-S , 'It i I U'1'1'! It'll 1 li V ' x. irk mi z x i f v : KalebO'Shea Eric Wilkinson Seth Warren Ramsey Moore The food turkey, pum- The food and the parades My favorite pkinpie, the ham. All of it. on iv. im thankful for my able to share te part is being 1 llke the b,ullllg Jkey. The best part is not having Getting to miss school, and re the food with missing school mostly, and school. I'm thankful for all of the turkey. I'm thankful to be I'm thankful for the pumpkin pie. Im thefood. in good health. lamuy. my family. them. thankful to be alive |