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Show Park City's future is uncertain, says city manager by Christopher Smart Will Park City's future include a broadening of the town's economy through year-round industry? Will more full-time residents mean tourism takes a back seat here? These and other questions were put to the Park City Rotary Club Tuesday by city manager Arlene Loble. Business and civic leaders were told Park City continues to change more rapidly than most communities. But Loble warned the group the town's unique nature casts doubt on who will lead Park City into the future. . . ' i Loble explained that about 75 percent of property in Park City is owned by people who don't live here. Four years ago that figure stood at fio percent. At the same time, however. Park City is attracting ma;v year-round residents who are n .t tipd directly to the town's tourist econonmy. "The people who live and vote here may not have the same perspective as those who are involved in the tourist industry," she said. But while the commuter population popula-tion is growing, it is not being integrated into the community in terms of decision making, Loble maintains. The voice of that growing segment of the community may not be heard until election day, she said. Whether Park City will become more tourist oriented or opt for other industries will be an issue in the future, Loble noted. The Park Record weekly newspaper is one of the few places for dialogue on tourism issues in the town. For that reason, she said, it was "wrong" of the business community to "jump on" the newspaper recently when it printed an article on pitfalls of the tourist trade. "If it isn't discussed there, where will it be discussed?" Loble asked. She explained that it is "dangerous" "danger-ous" for the tourist interests to silence the newspaper on issues that should be made available for public consumption. The schism between tourism and voters not tied to the town's economic base makes it difficult for Arlene Loble local elected officials to lead the town, Loble maintains. During the last election voters said the town was growing too fast. The voice that was heard from Old Town and the newer developments was that the town was changing too fast, she said. Yet elected officials must deal with a burgeoning tourist trade. In Park City local government and the community as a whole let developers take the lead, Loble said. In other areas, communities and local government take a more active role. As an example, she pointed to the proposed Snow Creek Hotel and convention center. Park City needs convention facilities, Loble said, but committees in the local government and Chamber of Commerce look to developers rather than the community commun-ity to make the plans a reality. Loble posed the rhetorical question, ques-tion, "What is the self-image of Park City?" to which she answered, "I don't think there is one." Park City's lack of self-image coupled with the fact that developers take the lead here gives the town an "immediate payoff" orientation rather than one of "investment" in the future, she said. The next election could be very important in determining what Park City's future will be, Loble said. |