DENVER — Ski resorts live to fight another day, after this much-welcomed, long-overdue winter storm.
As Denver7 has reported, this year has been the driest start to our snow season ever and resorts and mountain towns are hurting from the lack of tourists.
Denver7 anchor Shannon Ogden went to the University of Denver to talk to Dr. Cheri Young, an associate professor in the Knoebel School of Hospitality Management in the Daniels College of Business, about this dreary start to the ski season. Dr. Young said it's not too late to salvage the season but added it's not going to be a great season for the resorts.
"The resort's staff assuming it's going to be a great season — they have to. The have to be prepared. Now they have staff and there's no snow. They're suffering. Yes, you can send staff home, but they don't like that, either. So, it's this balancing act for them," said Dr. Young.
Dr. Young said she saw a promotion for upscale Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming on Friday that indicates just how bad this ski season has been for the Rocky Mountain region. A promo like that is something you'd see for Orlando, Florida, she said.
"There was a promo for Jackson offering $500 flight credit if people book a trip there. And I thought, 'if Jackson is trying to discount its tourism, we're in bad shape," said Dr. Young.
Denver Water officials have previously told Denver7 the state has roughly half the snowpack it should have at this point.
The manager of water supply for Denver Water said there is still time to make up the snowpack deficit because Colorado gets the lion's share of its snow in March and April.
"It's not too late to salvage the season but it's not going to be a phenomenal season," said Dr. Young.
