In the course of preparing our special focus on the Presidential Summit (pages 51 to 55) we reviewed the tape of our interview with Heavenly’s Stan Hansen. We had expressed mild cynicism as to the summit and its significance to the ski world. Stan reacted with passion, and we realized that his answer constituted a ready-made piece for Speak-out. With almost no alterations, here is Stan’s important message.—The Editors
I think the key message is that the ski industry is part of the community and it has to be involved in the solutions because it obviously creates its share of the problems. If we don’t work together in a coordinated planning effort in collaboration with the rest of our colleagues, then we will not be considered leaders of the community. And if you don’t get involved, you get what you deserve!
Do you realize that there wasn’t one negative thing said about the ski industry in the three-and-a-half months of summit meetings? And this is the Tahoe region, a focus of environmental concern. But from the environmental community, never one negative word!
We’re a leader in water quality, we’re a leader in transportation issues, we’re a leader in forest health activities. Our industry should get recognition for our efforts, but we don’t. Half the time we don’t get that recognition because we sit on the back burner. We’re just a little bit afraid. You know, “Oh, good grief, we’re going to be out in front.”
But we should be out in front! We need to be proud of what we have accomplished as an industry.
We at Heavenly are a classic destination resort and we are an integral part of the region’s tourism. Because we adapt so well, the ski component is usually the one that can bring the other factions together—gaming activities, lake recreation and so forth—to focus on the issues and help facilitate solutions. We have become leaders.
Heavy regulations are driving out some businesses, so maybe we’ll all be able to come up with solutions that are uniquely designed for doing business in environmentally pressured tourism/recreational areas where the tax base must be subsidized by the tourist, not the business community. If there are not these solutions, we don’t survive and they don’t get their environmental improvements. It’s that clear cut. The collaborative effort is going to have to be with the environmental community, the regulatory community, state and federal agencies and with the tourism community.—S.H.
Stan Hansen as community activist is not made of smoke and mirrors. Following is a list of committees on which he is currently active:
- Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
- President-elect, South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce
- President, Tahoe Village Homeowners Association
- Co-chair, Tahoe Transportation and Water Quality Coalition
- Lake Tahoe Airport Commission
- The Tahoe Truckee River Operating Agreement (sub-committee)
- Chair, The Presidential Steering Committee
- Board of Directors, Far West Ski Association
- Treasurer, Heavenly Ski Foundation
- Chair, Highway 50 Coalition
- Board member, Tahoe Transportation District
- South Shore Transportation Management Association
- Operation Committee, Coordinated Transit System
