Downtown Salt Lake News
CITY CREEK CENTER – Downtown Rising
Downtown Salt Lake will be changed forever just in time for spring skiing with the March opening of City Creek Center, a 23-acre development in the heart of the city. Developed by Taubman Centers Inc, across from Temple Square, this world-class fashion and dining destination will tempt après ski strollers with 80+ stores and restaurants, anchored by Macy's and Nordstrom. Meandering through the central walkways and plazas is an artful 1,200-foot-long authentic re-creation of the south fork of City Creek, the iconic waterway that once coursed through the city. City Creek Center is not only sustainably designed but will open debt-free, a remarkable achievement in today’s economy. Located just 10 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport, City Creek Center will open March 22, 2012. www.shopcitycreek.com
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF UTAH AT THE RIO TINTO CENTER – New Home
Dinosaurs will be just one of the astounding exhibits at the Rio Tinto Center, the new home of the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City. Tucked into a hillside overlooking the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, the 161,000 square foot LEED-Standard museum is on the University of Utah campus. It will tempt skiers to take a break from Utah famous powder and bring their families to explore the eight permanent exhibit spaces and the 1,200-square-foot children’s gallery. Opening in late 2011, it’s a world-class trove of dinosaur bones, Native American artifacts, and rare insects. www.umnh.utah.edu/newmuseumabout
AIRPORT TRAX LINE – Rails to Ski Trails
When the new rail extension by Salt Lake’s TRAX public transportation system connects downtown with Salt Lake City International Airport, it will become a model transportation hub. Scheduled to be completed by early 2013, the train will run along North Temple with six station stops. For skiers freshly arrived at the airport, it will be a fast, 20 minute ride to downtown and Salt Lake’s range of great hotels for every budget. Skiers will find that access to the mountains is quick and easy, thanks to the UTA, Utah Transit Authority, which runs full ski bus service to Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude ski resorts. Service will run every 15 minutes along the six-mile light rail line. www.visitsaltlake.com
THE LEONARDO MUSEUM OF ART – Sci + Tech + Art + Après Ski
Inspiration and creativity are at the forefront of The Leonardo, a visionary museum of science, technology, and art that opens in Salt Lake City this fall. Housed in the former SLC Library, The Leonardo will take a unique, interactive approach to engaging visitors. Inspired by namesake Leonardo da Vinci, the brilliant artist, scientist, and engineer who approached life with unquenchable curiosity, The Leonardo’s mission is to inspire creativity and innovation in young people and adults. Visitors taking a break from the slopes of Ski Salt Lake can expect exhibits, dialogs, hands-on workshops, performances, and major traveling exhibitions that will challenge their beliefs and inspire them. www.theleonardo.org
Ski Salt Lake Resort News
ALTA SKI AREA – Going Green & Getting Smart
Alta Ski Area is greening up as part of a two-pronged base upgrade. The Resort is working with architects, an environmental consultant, and a contractor to plan phase one of a LEED Certified building that will include a new ticket office, ski shop, and various skier services. Alta is also working with its RFID ticketing system to add a smart phone application that will allow skiers to quickly reload their Alta Card for skiing instead of going to the ticket office. For more information, go to www.alta.com
BRIGHTON – Local Hero Makes Good (Snow)
Brighton, considered the locals’ favorite mountain in Big Cottonwood Canyon, is upgrading its snowmaking system to the tune of $500,000 this year and spending another $20,000 to add new features to its Terrain Park. That’s after last year’s investment in two new snow cats and a Zaugg Halpipe cutter. There’s also an emphasis on better ski rentals for 2011-2012, so look for new high end equipment in the demo center. www.brightonresort.com
SNOWBIRD – Not Flaiking Out on Improvements
Snowbird is famous for its extreme skiing, but this year will have several new improvements in place for beginner and intermediate skiers/snowboarders. One of which will be the implementation of the Flaik System through Snowbird Mountain School. The Flaik System is a GPS device that allows parents and kids to track exactly where they went—including how many vertical feet they mastered.
The Aerie Restaurant will be also be remodeled. Once complete, The Cliff Lodge will have been completely remodeled, including meeting spaces. www.snowbird.com
SOLITUDE MOUNTAIN RESORT – High Five for New WiFi
Always seeking to refine the skier experience, Solitude Mountain Resort recently unveiled free WiFi throughout all of Solitude Village. At a time when smart phones have become part of a skier’s daily life, and Facebook, foursquare and Twitter keep skiers connected to friends and family, it’s a terrific skier-friendly development. www.skisolitude.com