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Show Professors Thesis Tourism: A Bargain With The Devil never expect to buy a house.” The UNLV professor was in Park City recently to take part in a public forum, called "The War On The West,” sponsored by Park City radio KPCW and the Leadership 2000 series put on by the municipality. . Rothman is in the process of finishing-a book called, "Devil's Bargain: Tourism and Transformation in the 20th . Century American West.” Cities and towns, counties and states look to tourism as’a quick fix for the economy, Rothman noted, When other industries begin to sag, "Local officials look around and ask, what can we do without raising taxes?” And in Utah, tourism is seen as being an easy source of revenue and taxes, he observed. ‘ "IT don't hate tourism," Rothman says. “It isn't unabashed good or evil. But people rush to tourism as a panacea, and it isn't.” By Christopher Smart Ithough many people in Park City, Moab and the state capitol building£ vaunt tourism as a panacea, it well may bea bargain with the devil, which provides shortterm incomes and profits that come with a risky future The advantage of tourism, says. Hal Rothman, a professor of history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is that it can provide jobs for workers who have lost them in other industries, like mining, ranch ing and timber. "Tourism tends to recycle displaced workers. Tourism can put them back to work, not at the same wages, but it does put them back to work,” Rothman said. But Rothman warns that jobs in tourism most probably are dead ends for those employees. "Tourism puts people on the economic scrap heap of history. There is no upward Communities looking to mobility for the worker. No jump on the tourist indushierarchy to work through; no try bandwagon should get Prof. Hal Rothman permanent posting," he said. as much information as In the end, tourism possible before launching employees could find themprojects and, programs. selves working long hours but Recently, the Utah Travel with few rewards. Something Rothman Council has suggested to small Southern describes as "economic disenfranchisement." Utah towns that they ought to switch away Employees in the tourist trade usually from "windshield tourism" that brings little don't rise to positions that command revenue but most of the impacts of tourism. respect, nor earn enough to live well in their But life can be good in a small tourist own communities. "When you serve people, town, particularly for the younger generayou are treated less than what you would tion, Rothman explains. But as tourist towns like," Rothman. explained. "And you could grow, they becomé more’ expensive. Snake River JULY the Ranch: Plein Aire Painting July town changes more than expected. And while fast growth is often praised by local businessmen and government leaders, you could work 30 weeks a year friends in beautiful surroundings, it was worth it." But as bigger investors and corporations come into a locality, businesses become more bottom-line oriented and resort towns usually more expensive to live in. And that-is why places, like Park City, have more 40, 50 and 60year-olds than people in their 20s. "As tourism went from seasonal to yeararound, and from fun to more like work, it wasn't that much fun anymore ... When you had to work 50 weeks a year, it wasn't worth it," Rothman says of young resort workers. For those who do stay, the tourist indus- it may be a real danger, Rothman warns. "If a place grows too much, it loses its desirability. It ceases to become special,” he said. Part of that phenomenon, he explained, is that "communities don't use tourism profits to diversify. They pump them back into tourism." The race to develop Park City and its environs as the Olympics near will have its costs, says Rothman. "What I can guarantee about the Olympics is this: Park City will not be the same place afterward. It will attract its own Euro-trash. They will demand their own amenities. And people will begin to say, this try could grow to the point where workers feel dislocated. It's what Rothman calls the "dilemma of the neo-native” - when their doesn't feel like our town, anymore." @ _Park City Bird Refuge LEASH YOUR DOGS PROTECT NESTING DUCKS SeeonN : : : ES Several neighbors in Prospector Square, a bird reftige and sanctuary. to protect the birds. Kitchen @ Bed e Bath e Gifts 10-12 AUGUST Adventures in Building with Strawbales Aug 6-9 SEPTEMBER PAGE 12 ¢ JULY 1997 Your Story: Illustrated Autobiography Sept 11-13 Photographing Yellowstone Sept 25 - 28 We also have one day courses and programs for youth, please contact us for a free catalogue. (307) Reng 733-2214 adventures for all ages. Come celebrate ae we 4890 Bonanza Drive e Park City snakeriverinst@ wyoming.com Learning the West SS along the rail trail, have made They ask that people control their dogs no place like home Institute Jackson Hole, Wyoming On "When and have 20 to yourself to recreate with your with us! GOUG49297/00 |