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INDUSTRY EVENTS NSAA 2009 WESTERN TRADE SHOW AND CONFERENCE Though attendance at the 2009 Western Regional Trade Show and Conference Feb. 2-4 at Keystone, Colo., was off by 25 percent, the attendees displayed a great deal of positive energy and enthusiasm. The groomer demo area was surprisingly busy and active, given the great snow conditions and opportunities to sample them. The most crowded event of the week was the First Tracks breakfast at Keystone’s Outpost, and the most memorable may have been first tracks in Arapahoe Basin’s new Montezuma Bowl. Weather and snow at both mountains conspired to remind everyone why we all got involved in this business in the first place. The seminars and trade show dwelled on how to make the business we’re in prosper, even in difficult economic and political times.Overall attendance was 575, down 200 from a year ago. Representatives came from 67 ski areas, down from 86 last year, with 119 supplier companies represented, down from 132 in 2008. Supplier attendees outnumbered resorts, 293 to 282, making for a lot of one-to-one marketing. Here’s a look at a few of the individual sessions, and the individuals who sessioned the trade show floor. Employment Law II Following the review of possible changes to be wrought under an Obama Administration (Employment Law I; for a synopsis, see the East Show report), panelists addressed how these changes might affect winter resorts. Vail Resorts attorney Monique Tuttle seemed to downplay some of the major concerns raised in EL I. For example, in talking about the changes to the ADA and FMLA, she concluded that practically, the laws don’t change that much. While the ADA revisions significantly broaden the scope of protection for employees, she said that the ADA “undoes definitions that excluded too many people” from its protections. The main result is that it focuses on the interactive process of accommodation, which she views as a good thing. Similarly, she described changes to FMLA as promoting shared responsibility for communication between employers and employees. Background checks were another hot topic. While more information always seems like a good thing, obtaining it can be costly and time-consuming. So the question becomes: at what point is the background check more costly and a bigger hassle than dealing with whatever issues you are trying to ferret out? The aim is to avoid “negligent hiring”—that is, if a reasonable person could foresee a problem that an employee eventually caused, the resort could be liable. To protect your resort, keep all legally required records, but also decide what information is worth keeping from year to year—and who’s worth rehiring. Taking Sustainable Slopes to the Next Level Judy Dorsey of The Brendle Group touched on a number of topics, ranging from the increasingly popular Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to four emerging alternative green sources of energy, during this well attended session. The four emerging technologies: Wind—One of the most promising alternative energy options available, wind power facilities can generate electricity for less than 5 cents/ kWh in many parts of the U.S., a cost that is competitive with conventional energy technologies. Smart Grid—This offers the promise of maximizing the availability of existing transmission capacity and pushing back the need for costly expansion. Smart grid technology is still largely in the pilot and planning stages, but is expected to rapidly move into the market over the next decade. Solar—Producing electricity with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems emits no pollution, produces no greenhouse gasses and uses no fossil fuels. You can’t get much greener than that. Micro-hydro—This provides low-cost renewable energy where sufficient flow and head (the difference in height between the water source and the hydroelectric facility) are available. This is a clean, renewable source of energy whose peak power output per dollar is usually higher than other renewable energy technologies. You Can't Plan for a Crisis While You're Having One This session, presented by Rockford Gray principals Steve Gray and Marv Rockford, outlined how to prepare a crisis communication plan that anticipates all of the communication nightmares that one can face: death, workplace violence, lift failure, avalanches, etc. A good crisis plan helps circumvent bad press, and contains: - a crisis response checklist - crisis team roles and responsibilities - contact phone numbers (including media numbers) - notification guidelines - company fact sheet - sample news release - key messages / Q&A documents - IT information (very important to be able to post accurate information quickly on your website).
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EVENTS WRAPUP 
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