What's New | Visit Vail Valley Blog

Vail 365

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:55:50 -0400

View Vail in its best season--all of them!

Vail and Beaver Creek are reknowned for their world-class skiing. But did you know it is also home to unparralelled dining, unique shops, and breath-taking activities year-round? Watch the video to view Vail in its best season...all of them!

2008 Vail Golf Club Details

Tue, 06 May 2008 11:43:21 -0400

Season Pass Sales begin May 7
(Vail)—The Vail Recreation District will begin selling season golf passes tomorrow (5-7) at the Vail Golf Club. There are four season pass options available, which include a VRD Taxpayer Pass, a Merchant Pass for Vail-based businesses, an Eagle County Pass and a Summit County Pass. 2008 season pass details and rates are as follows:

Before                  After
June 1                   June 1
VRD Taxpayer Pass
Gold Pass                            $1,750                   $1,950   Includes cart, balls, club storage/locker; play shoulder season and restricted peak
season
Silver Pass                           $925                       $975       Play shoulder season, restricted peak season
10 Round Pass                   $400                       $450       Transferable, restricted peak season
20 Round Pass                   $450                       $500       Transferable, restricted peak season
Junior Gold Pass               $300                       $300       Must pass skills and etiquette test, restricted
Junior Silver Pass              $150                       $150       Play shoulder season and after 3 p.m.
Parent-Junior Pass          $225                       $225       Play allowed after 3:30 p.m.- 1 adult and 1 junior
Range Card                         $125                       $125       Transferable

Eagle County Pass
Silver Pass                           $1,325                   $1,325   Play shoulder season, restricted peak season
10 Round Pass                   $500                       $509       Transferable, restricted peak season
20 Round Pass                   $550                       $600       Transferable, restricted peak season
Junior Gold Pass               $300                       $300       Must pass skills and etiquette test, restricted
Junior Silver Pass              $150                       $150       Play shoulder season and after 3 p.m.
Parent-Junior Pass          $225                       $225       Play allowed after 3:30 p.m.- 1 adult and 1 junior
Range Card                         $125                       $125       Transferable

Summit County Pass
Silver Pass                           $1,425                   $1,425   Play shoulder season, restricted peak season
Range Card                         $125                       $125       Transferable

Merchant Pass
The Merchant Pass is for Vail-based businesses and their employees and operates similar to the merchant ski pass program. The non-transferable 2008 Merchant Pass is available for $925 through June 1 and then will cost $975. In order to purchase the Merchant Pass, business owners will be asked to provide proof of Vail-based operations via tax receipts or by showing an active membership in a business organization such as the Vail Chamber and Business Association. Vail-based business employees will be asked to provide a current paycheck stub or employment verification letter.

2008 Vail Golf Club rates are as follows:

                                                                Shoulder Season
                                                                Opening Day-June 12
Sept. 8- Closing Day
All Players
18 Holes                                                               $45
9 Holes                                                                 $30
Twilight, after 3:30 p.m.                                $30
Junior 18 Hole                                                    $35
Junior 9 Hole and Twilight                             $25

                                                                High Season
June 13-Sept. 8
VRD Tax Payer
18 Holes                                                               $55
9 Holes                                                                 $35
Twilight, after 3:30 p.m.                                $35
Junior 18 Hole                                                    $45
Junior 9 Hole and Twilight                             $35

Eagle County Resident
18 Holes                                                               $60
9 Holes                                                                 $40
Twilight, after 3:30 p.m.                                $40
Junior 18 Hole                                                    $55
Junior 9 Hole and Twilight                             $35

Outside Guests
18 Holes                                                               $80
9 Holes                                                                 $45
Twilight, after 3:30 p.m.                                $45
Junior 18 Hole                                                    $55
Junior 9 Hole and Twilight                             $35

An annual application including proof of taxpayer status is required to purchase the VRD Taxpayer Pass, VRD taxpayer rates, Eagle County Pass and Eagle County taxpayer rates. Season pass holders are allowed to play any time, any day during the shoulder season. During the high season, season pass holders are allowed to play Monday through Thursday any time and after noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Play is restricted during holidays including Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends. Junior Golf Passes are available to VRD taxpayer dependents under age 17.


The Vail Golf Club will open the driving range within the next 10 days and is scheduled to open for the season in late May, weather permitting. Returning for her second year, Vail Golf Club Director Alice Plain says she’s excited for the upcoming season. “We’re thrilled to be able to open later this month following such a snowy winter,” said Plain. “We’re working hard to clear the greens and prepping the fairways for the season. But, weather permitting, we hope to open the driving range practice facility for golfers within the next week.”

The Vail Golf Club is nestled at the base of the Gore Mountain Range and offers golfers a unique 18-hole, par 71 experience at 8,200 feet elevation. The Golf Club offers a full service golf shop, group and corporate outings, professional instruction, launch monitor, driving range, practice area, club storage, golf swing analysis, club rentals and demo days.

For more information or to book tee times, call the Vail Golf Club at 479-2260 or visit www.vailgolfclub.net. For information on the Happy Valley Grill, located within the Vail Golf Club, call 479-7321. For additional details on all VRD offerings and activities, go to www.vailrec.com.

TravelMuse.com highlights the Vail Valley

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:36:01 -0400

The Vail Valley: A Resort for All SeasonsCourtesy of TravelMuse.com:

Visitors to Vail Valley will be amazed by the sheer beauty of this Rocky Mountain playground.

After our first ski trip there more than two decades ago, my entire extended family fell in love with the clean air, active lifestyle and the endless list of things to do. And we have returned time and again for family weddings—my brother was married in Vail, and I said my vows in Beaver Creek—birthdays, anniversaries and any other excuse we could think of to get back to this alpine paradise.

It’s so easy to do because, as one season fades into the next, there is something to entice everyone at any age.

No matter which time of year you visit, bring your sunscreen. With more than 300 days of sunshine, the high altitude provides a heavy dose of solar power to supercharge your stay.

Dennis Snow to Speak at A View From the Top

Fri, 02 May 2008 15:30:33 -0400

Customer Service is the focus on June 5th

On June 5th, at the Vilar Performing Arts Center, the Vail Valley Partnership presents A View From the Top. This event is a twice-yearly speaker series on customer service. Each event is designed to reinforce the importance of exemplary customer service and the tangible and intangible benefits a business can realize as a result. The June 2008 A View From the Top is graciuosly sponsered by the Beaver Creek Resort Company, Vail Valley Medical Center,Pinnacol Assurance,Denver Newspaper Agnecy, Comcast, A Great Time DJ's and Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea Company.

One lucky attendee will walk away with a rafting trip for 10 provided by Lakota Guides.

Date: June 5, 2008

Time: 8:00-11:00am

Location: Vilar Performing Arts Center

For more infromation or to RSVP: please contact Mandi Bender, events coordinator 970-477-4001 or email mbender@visitvailvalley.com

$20 PSP participants, non-profits & Beaver Creek businesses

$25 partners • $35 non-partners & at the door

Dennis Snow's Bio

Dennis Snow’s customer service abilities were honed over 20 years with the Walt Disney World Company. There, he developed his passion for service excellence and the experience he brings to the worldwide speaking and consulting he does today.

He began his Disney career in 1979 as a front-line attractions operator. As he advanced through the company, Dennis managed various operating areas throughout the park, learning and applying the skills it takes to run a world-class, service-driven organization.

Dennis launched a division of the Disney Institute responsible for consulting with some of the world’s largest companies including Exxon, AT&T, General Motors and Coca Cola. During this time, he presented to audiences in diverse locations around the world, such as South Africa, Australia, Mexico, England and Argentina. This division quickly became the fastest growing venture of the Disney Institute and experienced repeat business of nearly 100%.

He also spent several years with the Disney University, teaching corporate philosophy and business practices to cast members and the leadership team. While there, he coordinated the Disney Traditions program which is universally recognized as a benchmark in corporate training. In his last year with Walt Disney World®, Dennis’ leadership performance was ranked in the top 3% of the company’s leadership team.

Today, Dennis is a full-time speaker, trainer and consultant who helps organizations achieve goals related to customer service, employee development and leadership. Some of his clients include Wachovia, Blockbuster Video, BMW Financial Services, Florida State University and Johns Hopkins Hospital. His articles appear in a number of industry publications and he is a featured guest “expert” on customer service, on several business news-talk radio shows. He is the author of the book, Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service, which has been used in organizations around the world as a blueprint for organizational excellence.

Beaver Creek Resort Compnay
Spring is Underway in Beaver Creek- Visit for Details
Vail Valley Medical Center
Your Care is Our Mission
Pinnocal Assurance
Colorado's Choice for Workers' Compensation
Vilar Performing Arts Center
Visit the Venue Hosting A VIEW FROM THE TOP
Lakota Guides
Details on White Water Rafting and Summer Activities
Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea
Make a Difference Both Locally and Globally
Untraditional Marketing
Bringing to you the TEVA MOUNTAIN GAMES

Acting as one, the Vail Valley is stronger

Fri, 02 May 2008 11:06:15 -0400
Notes from Michael Kurz, President & CEOAs those of you regularly read this column know (and I’m sure that since the mountain closed my readership has gone up substantially, maybe by three or even four readers), the Vail Valley Partnership’s updated mission is to achieve and maintain a position as the business vitality center for the Vail Valley.

Our new vision statement pushes that concept forward somewhat: to be a major force in the creation and maintenance of an adaptive, resilient, vital economy that provides opportunities and stability for Vail Valley businesses and (by extension, to) residents.

Vail Valley, Vail Valley… it’s even in our name. Why not just the Vail Partnership, or just Avon, or Edwards, or Gypsum, or Eagle? Because it’s time we started to face facts. It’s not just one economic entity or just one municipality, or just one resort that can take on the challenge of economic sustainability and make “365” happen. It’s up to all of us, from Vail to Dotsero. We need all businesses and allied associations and agencies to start working collectively as one.

This means putting to rest ingrained prejudices about our neighbors up and down Main Street. Even if Main Street is an interstate highway.

Today’s reality is that many of Vail’s workers, municipal employees, business owners and first responders live in Avon, Edwards and Eagle. The economic engine that is Vail Resorts provides county coffers with the revenue needed to maintain, operate and improve the quality of life in the county. “Gypsum’s airport” brings visitors destined for Beaver Creek. People from Eagle spend money in Vail. And we all recreate and enjoy the terrain that showcases this place, both geographically and in our hearts and minds.

Beyond the day-to-day practicalities of cooperation, we all share the same concerns as they pertain to successfully operating our businesses and managing our homes while we all face issues such as high fuels costs, labor force acquisition, worker housing and the need to establish a year- round, sustainable economy. Yet many still seem to be bogged down in attitudes and outlooks that often present unnecessary roadblocks to progress. We say, that way of thinking is archaic and obstructionist.

As we grow, we are presented with opportunities that, if seized by all stakeholders, no matter where they live, can take us down the yellow brick road to increased prosperity. There is strength in numbers and with a united, valley-wide community working together, we can responsibly serve all our business, community and political constituents and work toward the real goal of making this place thrive.

Perhaps we should all take a moment to reflect on a principle learned in grade school — to play well with others. Of course, we all know there are schoolyard bullies, but they rarely triumph in the long run and can always be defeated by a well-organized vanguard of like-minded individuals. The Vail Valley is a world-class destination and to keep it that way it will take a spirit of collegiality and commitment.

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Perhaps if we venture to act as one, we’ll gain. This isn’t Washington, D.C. We don’t have to posture, protect turf, pander to outmoded ideas or be intransigent for the sake of slapping our cronies on the back. … We can actually look forward and pull together.

So the next time you hear the Partnership discuss its vision, remember our vision includes you. No matter what “valley” you live in. Working together, we can get there.

See Also
Vail Valley Partnership
Official chamber site for the Vail Valley

Success in 60 Seconds

Thu, 01 May 2008 14:11:04 -0400
Reserve your spot before they are gone! This month's host- Antlers at Vail.
Success in 60 Seconds is an early morning speed networking event. This event is ideal for individuals who are unable to attend Business After Hours Mixers, new and old Partnership partners, and those who prefer a structured networking environment versus a social one.
Structured much like Speed Dating, Success in 60 will allow each individual to tell another about their services, specialty or business as a whole. In return, they will have the opportunity to do the same. When time is up, the timekeeper will send you along to the next person in line to do the same. If you don't get a chance to meet everyone you will have the opportunity to receive their information for contact at your discretion.
Be sure to RSVP for the quickly upcoming event on Wednesday, May 7th at Antlers at Vail. RSVPs are required! Contact Mandi Bender, Event Coordinator at (970) 477-4001 or mbender@visitvailvalley to do so.
See Also
Antlers at Vail
Vail Valley Partnership Networking Events

Fly Fishing Outfitters Offers "Hip" Waders: a Women-Only Clinic

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:30:50 -0400
Women-only flyfishing clinics will be held this summer to both promote women's fishing and to support Casting For Recovery, which funds retreats for survivors of Breast Cancer.

It's all about flyfishing this summer as Fly Fishing Outfitters works to both promote women's fishing and to support Colorado Casting for Recovery,  which funds three 3-day retreats for women who are breast cancer survivors in our state.  The catch is that these "Hip" Waders fly fishing clinics are for women only.

The fly fishing clinics will consist of 4 parts with a maximum of 20 participants. The first part of the clinic will explain all of the equipment. Next, participants will be divided into smaller groups to learn knot tying. The third part involes learning about entemology, or bugs and bait. Finally, the clinic will teach casting. Each part of the clinic will be about 45 minutes long.
The clinics are scheduled for:
June 7, 2008 from 9:00 am- 2:30 pm. Cost: $125 (includes lunch)
July 13, 2008 from 1:00 pm -5:30 pm. Cost: $100 (includes snack)
Aug. 23 from 9 am- 2:30 pm. Cost: $125 (includes lunch)

In addition, each clinic will be followed by a casting clinic that will last one hour. You do NOT have to attend the fly fishing clinic to attend the casting clinic.
Additional Casting clinic dates are:
June 12, 2008 from 6:00-7:00 pm. Cost: $25
July 22, 2008 from 6:00-7:00 pm. Cost: $25
August 27, 2008 from 6:00-7:00 pm. Cost: $25

To sign-up, contact Amy at Fly Fishing Outfitters, at either amy@flyfishingoutfitters.com or 970-476-FISH.
A kick-off party will be held at the Fly Fishing Outfitters store on May 21 for participants. There will be a drawing for a FREE clinic session as well as wine, beer and appetizers.
There is a one week prior cancellation for a full refund, and then only a refund if we have someone on a waiting list to take your spot.
Also, $25 of the fly fishing clinic will be donated to the Colorado Casting for Recovery which funds three 3-day retreats for women who are breast cancer survivors in our state. Each retreat costs about $15,000, but there is no cost to those who are chosen to go on the retreats.  Fourteen people are chosen each year to enjoy a retreat at a Five-star Ranch. For more information about Colorado Casting for Recovery, you can visit their website at http://www.castingforrecovery.org/.

See Also
Casting for Recovery
Fly Fishing Outfitters

Eagle Vail Golf Opening Update!

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:05:45 -0400
Time to dust off your clubs, and come hit some balls!

Driving Range and Golf Shop
Grand Opening - May 3rd

Pass and Punch Card Special!!
May 3rd & 4th only, buy your pass or punch card and recieve a free Range Ball Card - $60 value!

Giant Merchandise Sale!
Shoes 20% off, All Clothing up to 40% off
All '07 Clubs Priced to sell!

Driving Range Open 10a-6pm

Golf Course Update:
  We plan to open the lower 10 holes (#1-8, 11, 12) on May 10th (weather pending). Our rate to play the 10 hole course will be $35 including cart. We will open the rest of the course as soon as possible. Updates will be coming by e-mail. We are glad to have recieved all the moisture that we did, but snow removal is a long, tedious process and ultimately we have to rely on Mother Nature to finish the job for us.

For questions, please call 970-949-5267.

What's New | Visit Vail Valley Blog

Vail 365

See Also

2008 Vail Golf Club Details

See Also

TravelMuse.com highlights the Vail Valley

See Also

Dennis Snow to Speak at A View From the Top

See Also

Acting as one, the Vail Valley is stronger

See Also

Success in 60 Seconds

See Also

Fly Fishing Outfitters Offers "Hip" Waders: a Women-Only Clinic

The clinics are scheduled for:

June 7, 2008 from 9:00 am- 2:30 pm. Cost: $125 (includes lunch)

July 13, 2008 from 1:00 pm -5:30 pm. Cost: $100 (includes snack)

Aug. 23 from 9 am- 2:30 pm. Cost: $125 (includes lunch)

In addition, each clinic will be followed by a casting clinic that will last one hour. You do NOT have to attend the fly fishing clinic to attend the casting clinic.

Additional Casting clinic dates are:

June 12, 2008 from 6:00-7:00 pm. Cost: $25

July 22, 2008 from 6:00-7:00 pm. Cost: $25

August 27, 2008 from 6:00-7:00 pm. Cost: $25To sign-up, contact Amy at Fly Fishing Outfitters, at either amy@flyfishingoutfitters.com or 970-476-FISH.

A kick-off party will be held at the Fly Fishing Outfitters store on May 21 for participants. There will be a drawing for a FREE clinic session as well as wine, beer and appetizers.

There is a one week prior cancellation for a full refund, and then only a refund if we have someone on a waiting list to take your spot.

See Also

Eagle Vail Golf Opening Update!

August 27, 2008 from 6:00-7:00 pm. Cost: $25

To sign-up, contact Amy at Fly Fishing Outfitters, at either amy@flyfishingoutfitters.com or 970-476-FISH.