City Watch

Park City has an ongoing workforce shortage, which is directly tied to a lack of housing. It’s the only city in Utah with more jobs than residents. Some 11,000 jobs need to be filled each winter, and there are only 8,500 residents within city limits according to figures from Mountainlands Community Housing Trust. Just 15% of Park City’s workforce—about 1,650 people—actually lives in town. Fortunately, multiple groups are making efforts to address the dearth of rental units available to area workers.  

Perhaps the most creative endeavor is the delightfully acronymed Workplace Employer Rental Incentive Program (WE RIP). WE RIP is a partnership between Mountainlands Community Housing Trust, the Park City Chamber/Bureau and the winter sports brand Rossignol, which will provide a ski or snowboard package valued at over $1,000 to homeowners who rent units seasonally or on a long-term basis to local workers. 

WE RIP began a pilot program last season in which would-be landlords were given season passes to Deer Valley for renting units to the resort’s workers. It was based on a successful program started in Aspen, Colorado, but both Deer Valley and Park City declined to participate this season. It’s unfortunate, as ski passes are a very effective carrot in ski-obsessed communities, and it’s as of yet unknown if people find gear equally enticing. 

Perks alone won’t fix a monumental housing shortage, so local developers are joining the fray. “The housing shortage is a demographic issue that’s been ignored for too long with significant impact on the greater community,” says Tony Tyler, Partner at Columbus Pacific Development. “Helping address the situation is more than an obligation for us, it’s the right thing to do.”

Columbus Pacific has developed a lot of properties in Park City, notably the current home of the Kimball Art Center as well as the high-end Apex Residences and Pendry Residences. Just prior to this winter, the company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a far different property, the Slopeside Village. The development has housing for 1,197 full-time Summit County residents with deed restricted prioritization for local workers at the base of the Canyons Village. “It’s a unique structure,” says Tyler. “Essentially there are nine tiers of priority based on where you work and how much you earn. It levels the playing field for people who work locally, and businesses here have seen a dramatic rise in their ability to recruit workers.”

Neither the promise of free skis, nor a single, if significant, development is going to solve all the area’s housing woes, but it’s an encouraging start. Hopefully some added momentum will push the local resorts to pony up a few passes to sweeten the pot. Every little bit helps.  

What Happened to All the Rentals?

These rental-based affordable housing initiatives are crucially important to bolstering the local workforce. Much attention is paid to the cost of ownership in the area, but a dramatic decrease in long-term rental inventory has long hampered hiring. Seventy percent of rental supply in Park City is short term, used primarily by vacationers. The proportion of second homes owned locally continues to increase, threatening to exacerbate the existing shortfall. 

---

For Tom and Cara Fox, there’s something irresistible about the lively buzz and welcoming ambiance of European markets and cafes, so they decided to create something equally delightful in the heart of Holladay with The Fox Market, which opened their doors officially last week. Tom and Cara—principals of The Fox Group, a premiere home builder and interior design firm—were inspired by the charming spots they visited while traveling in northern Europe. “There, markets and cafes are more than just places to drink and eat, they are social hubs, places for time spent with friends, family and neighbors,” Cara says. “Amongst all the bustle, there is a sense that everyone belongs.”

With that in mind, the couple transformed a humble Meier’s Chicken establishment into a neighborhood haven, “a little European oasis that celebrates local crafts, people and purveyors,” Cara says.

The remodel was a labor of love. The couple reimagined the once-bland exterior with striped awnings, iron lanterns, elegant French-style windows and European box planters filled with topiaried trees. Inside, a classical-yet-whimsical decor—with its black-and white checkered floor, marble-topped bistro tables and antique cabinets—is filled with the fragrance of fresh-baked breads and pastries emanating from the boulangerie. At every turn, patrons discover specialty culinary offerings, from locally sourced meats and dairy items to Utah-made ice cream, teas and chocolates mingling with salads-to-go, a fresh-flower cart, a soda/drink bar and more.

Artisan products extend beyond food. Hand-carved cabinets display organic beauty products, jewelry, dresses, bags and gifts. “We also gift wrap,” Cara says. Further back behind large conservatory windows, curated furnishings, antiques, rugs, handmade quilts, bedding and lighting delight shoppers, who are surrounded by original art on nearly every wall.

“With so many talented people out there doing their crafts, it’s about getting their products out, seen and available,” Cara says. “It’s about gathering and coming together.”

If You Go…

The Fox Market,
4708 Holladay Blvd., Holladay
@the_fox_market  

---

On a visit to the Sugar House neighborhood in late Fall 2023, I barely recognize the place. Highland Drive is reduced to a tiny sliver of one-way traffic and 2100 South is a maze of narrow lanes to allow for road work. The whole neighborhood has broken out in a rash of orange barrels, and the road construction is choking off the arteries to some of my old haunts—Black Cat Comics, Bruges Waffles & Frites, Pib’s Exchange—even the Utah State Liquor Store on Ashton Avenue. 

Months after the construction started in early 2023, the construction has claimed some notable casualties, according to the owners of local businesses who have made the decision to close their doors. 

I spoke with one of Pizza Volta’s owners, Martin Brass, who closed the restaurant after just one year in business. “I had to let go of 26 people,” he says.

Brass started out feeling hopeful about their location in Sugar House when they opened in September 2022, having heard nothing but great things about the area. But by October, a nearby under-construction residential building, The Residences at Sugar Alley, caught fire and burned for days. The fire and ultimate demolition of the building closed surrounding roads for weeks. “The fire and demolition basically put a hole in the middle of the Sugar House,” says Brass. 

It’s not the first hole to blight Sugar House. Back in the mid-oughts, the 2100 South and Highland Drive block was a row of funky galleries, a local coffee shop and an erotic bakery. A developer demolished the buildings in 2008, then the block lay bare for years when the construction money dried up in the recession. The eyesore came to be known as the “Sugar House hole.” Eventually, mixed-use developments filled the hole and life returned to that part of the neighborhood…until the fire. 

The foot traffic Pizza Volta had been assured in Sugar House never materialized in the aftermath of the fire. Still, they kept at it. “We finally were almost breaking even in March 2023, recovering from just being a new business, from fire effects, from a number of different things…And then the city rips up Highland Drive.” The April after construction started on 1100 East and Highland Drive, Brass says sales at Pizza Volta dropped 30%, even while the number of delivery orders increased. “So that told me people wanted our pizza. They just didn’t want to go get it,“ says Brass. 

Even longtime Sugar House businesses asked for the public’s help to offset some of the construction-induced losses. Kimi’s Chop & Oyster House advertised special deals on their website, saying “Sugar House construction is definitely a maze right now…Here at Kimi’s, we need your support more than ever because the construction is definitely letting us down!” The construction was so much of a letdown that Kimi’s could be looking for a new location, away from “the maze.” 

With multiple construction projects going on at once, businesses near 2100 South and Highland Drive, like Pizza Volta, felt boxed in. “[The fire] didn’t help. And then that gets exacerbated by Highland Drive’s construction” Brass says. “Twenty-first South had, I think, two lanes closed. And then there was more construction around the corner from us. One of the side accesses was under construction at the same time. We were impacted on two sides. I don’t understand that. I just don’t understand how that’s the best they could do.” 

The stated purpose of the construction projects is to support the Sugar House Business District by improving the roads and updating 100-year-old infrastructure. In the meantime, the Sugar House Chamber of Commerce and Salt Lake City leadership have encouraged residents to get out and support small, local businesses during the construction. 

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall even made an appearance at Pizza Volta back in July 2023. Salt Lake City also provides a Construction Mitigation Grant that gives up to $3,000 per business, for “small, independent businesses with less than 50 employees who have been adversely affected by construction,” according to the City. I’ve spoken with business owners in Sugar House who have received the grant but say $3,000 is just not enough to cover their losses from months of construction on all sides, impeding access to their locations. Is this the price for progress? 

For Brass, the biggest regret in closing Pizza Volta is not so much monetary as the loss of connection to the community they were trying to foster. The restaurant hosted regular “Pizza With A Purpose” events, where a portion of the proceeds from every pizza sold went to a local non-profit. Pizza Volta also commissioned a local artist, Josh Scheuerman, to paint an indoor mural of iconic Utah historical symbols, easter eggs and artifacts for patrons to search through and explore while they dined. “Actually, that’s probably my biggest regret of all,” Brass says. “This is his work, and it’s in this space that’s just now closed and people can’t see it.”

Sugarhouse Transformation Timeline

When Will the Construction Finally Come to an End?

In February 2023, the Highland Drive/1100 East Reconstruction Project began. According to the City, the project involves “Long overdue reconstruction of the roadway with added bike lane infrastructure and improved crosswalks and ADA access.” This project overlaps with multiple other ongoing projects in the area—including the 2100 South Sewer Expansion, 1100 East Improvement Project, 2100 South Reconstruction, which is scheduled through spring 2024, and a new apartment building project on Ashton Ave. At last check, a plan is also in the works to develop the old Wells Fargo site on 2100 South and Highland Drive. When will the construction end? At this point, there are construction projects slated for Sugar House through 2025.

---

The legend lives somewhere in the peaks of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Dendrites of just such a density, perfectly stratified, falling endlessly. The Land of “Gnarnia” blanketed with the Greatest Snow on Earth. If only you can get to it. The word is out. Denver is mercifully passé. Everyone is chasing the legend, and therein lies the foundations of the problem. There may not be enough of it to go around.

Wintertime traffic in and out of Little Cottonwood Canyon has reached a breaking point. The Red Snake of Death appears on Utah Highway 210 in both directions, devouring unsuspecting skiers and snowboarders. It’s still not the four-hour slog on Interstate 70 on Colorado’s Front Range, but it’s gotten grim enough for both public and private enterprises to take notice.

The fix, we’ve been told, is an eight-mile gondola—which would be the world’s longest—running from Wasatch Boulevard to Snowbird and Alta. There are roughly two decades and a host of other changes coming between now and then, but the Gondola has become Salt Lake City’s very own Monorail. It has captivated the attention of Utah, unleashed a torrent of emotion, and, frankly, sowed a wild amount of confusion.

How did we get here? What’s going to happen? Let’s Ask The People Involved

WHICH VISION OF THE FUTURE ARE WE FOLLOWING?

The winter of 2022-23 brought into acute focus the bottleneck in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The record snowfall and created historic avalanche conditions and led to repeated road closures that made traffic snarls a regular occurrence. It was a nadir for many powder hounds who found their ability to fit ski days into their everyday lives suddenly disrupted. The issue, however, had been on the minds of myriad officials for years.

In 2018 the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) began an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Little Cottonwood Canyon and Wasatch Boulevard to devise a future system that would improve transportation on Utah Highway 210. While the EIS may have been the State’s formal start in seeking a solution for canyon traffic, interested parties already had been circling the issue.

A full decade ago, in 2013, a collaborative group of state, county and city elected leaders, transportation wonks, ski resort general managers, local property owners and environmental groups began a two-year process to develop a long-term sustainable solution for the Wasatch, culminating in the 2015 Mountain Accord Charter. The Accord’s recommendations were non-binding, but the extensive work involving often warring parties resulted in a meaningful set of goals to address the environment, transportation issues, recreation and the economy. The Accord offered a glimmer of optimism.

“Mountain Accord came up with a comprehensive solution that everybody agreed on—from the Governor to the legislature to conservation groups to the ski areas,” says Ralph Becker, the former Mayor of Salt Lake City who worked on Mountain Accord and later became the Executive Director of its successor, the Central Wasatch Commission (CWC). Becker was not the only person who felt this way about the promise of The Accord.

“I believe in shared pain and shared gain,” says Carl Fisher, Executive Director of the environmental advocacy group Save Our Canyons (SOC). Fisher had a seat at the Mountain Accord table and still represents his group’s interests on the CWC Stakeholder Council. “SOC has our agenda, vision, feelings and ideas, but when partnering with people their problems are ours and ours are theirs. That’s the only way things get done.”

However, as the process became more formalized, the issue’s focal point began wandering from where Mountain Accord and CWC had sought a solution. Instead of a holistic review of the Wasatch Front and Back, the EIS as outlined in 2018 called for focus specifically on Little Cottonwood Canyon.

“The scope of UDOT and the state’s work narrowed the assessment,” says Becker. “I think the EIS process had a faulty goal. We lost the forest for a few trees.”

Fisher concurs. “The problem was redefined,” he says. “If the question becomes, there’s an issue four months a year at two ski resorts, then what’s the answer going to be? The collective failure of our leaders was in abandoning a genuine process to find a solution for the ski industry.”

Josh Van Jura, UDOT’s project manager for the Little Cottonwood Canyon EIS, says skier traffic became the focal point because of its impact on the Cottonwood Canyons.

“The vast majority of people going up the canyon in the winter are going to the resorts,” Van Jura says. “We know the number of parking stalls at the resorts in Little Cottonwood compared to the rest of the canyon is about nine to one, so we were looking for solutions to provide direct transit service to the resorts to alleviate traffic. If we can reduce the number of private vehicles on the road by 30%, it will provide much more reliable travel time for everyone in the canyon.”

WAIT. BACK UP. WHAT IS AN EIS PROCESS?

In essence, the EIS is a federal process required by the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and the guidelines of the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) executed with UDOT acting as the lead agent. Funding comes from the Utah Legislature. No matter what UDOT ultimately recommended from the EIS process, nothing gets built without some combination of the legislature allocating bonds, digging one-time surplus funds or rounding up federal funds with a local match. 

With the EIS focused primarily on Little Cottonwood, the goalposts moved, at least that’s what Fisher and Becker think, both of whom worked on Mountain Accord and with the CWC. But back in 2018, a gondola was little more than an aspirational marketing twinkle in the eyes of a few ski industry executives. Numerous transit options were on the table, including two enhanced bus options, two gondola options and a train. A sixth option, which involved doing nothing and maintaining the status quo was also on the table.

Through an endless string of meetings, public comment periods and engineering, environmental and cost analysis exercises, UDOT eventually issued its official Record of Decision on July 12, 2023, identifying “Gondola Alternative B” as their recommendation. 

“It’s an amazing milestone to reach this point after five years of intense effort,” Van Jura says. “So many people worked extremely hard on this, and tens of thousands of members of the public provided their input. People care so deeply about these mountains, and that’s reflected in how involved everyone was.”

WHAT ON EARTH IS ‘GONDOLA ALTERNATIVE B?’

The future is Gondola Alternative B. What does that mean? In very broad terms, Gondola Alternative B is a phased approach to implementing enhanced bussing—replete with mobility hubs at the bottom of the canyons—along with periodic tolling in Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons before ultimately constructing the world’s largest gondola from a base station at La Caille on Wasatch Boulevard with stops at Snowbird and Alta. The proposed plan will unfold in three phases.

Phase 1: (Estimated start date: Fall 2025, funding secured) Improved and increased bus service with mobility hubs, resort bus stops, tolling and roadside parking restrictions. 

Phase 2: (Start date and funding TBD): Show sheds for avalanche protection in Little Cottonwood, Wasatch Boulevard widening and trailhead improvements.

Phase 3: (Start date and funding TBD): Gondola system with 35-person cabins arriving every two minutes, base station access roads and parking with 2,500 stalls and canyon bus service ending once the gondola is operational.

As of now, only Phase 1 is funded. UDOT secured $211 million of the estimated $240 million it requires. The remaining two phases will require an additional $716.1 million in capital costs, totaling roughly $955.4 million for the entire project. Other total estimates are as high as $1.4 billion. Neither figure includes the estimated annual $21.7 million in gondola operating costs. When major project budgets extend several decades out, rounding errors veer into the tens of millions. Hazarding a guess at the final bill is a fool’s errand.

The gondola isn’t expected to start until 2043 at the absolute earliest. Visitors to Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons won’t notice any changes until at least 2025. “Starting bus service by 2025 is pretty optimistic,” Van Jura says. “There’s an 18–24 month delivery time for new buses, especially the specialized ones with lower gear ratios and automatic deployed chains needed in the canyons.”

Tolling won’t begin until the enhanced bus system—a low-cost alternative for riders—is available. This is a NEPA requirement and a moral imperative from an environmental justice standpoint. Restricting access to public lands in the Wasatch by implementing economic barriers is deeply problematic. Details are yet to be finalized, but UDOT estimates tolling vehicles roughly 50 days a year in the upper canyons during peak season and holidays.

So, expect mobility hubs, bus service and tolling restrictions in a couple of years. If you eat well, watch your blood pressure and exercise regularly, with a little luck you may get to ride a gondola in 25 more.

HOW INEVITABLE WAS THE GONDOLA DECISION?

This question is at the heart of anti-gondola ire. UDOT never released an estimation of public approval for the project. But a glance through public comments showed plenty of opposition, and others have undertaken the effort. Salt Lake City resident Nick Firmani posted on Reddit, as reported by The Salt Lake Tribune, an analysis showing 89% of the roughly 13,000 comments obtained from the UDOT website were against the gondola. Reasons for opposition include environmental and watershed concerns, the visual impact of 250-foot-tall gondola towers, and queasiness about utilizing vast sums of public money to shuttle people primarily to two private resorts, among others.

Van Jura says he personally read every public comment but defends not quantifying their content

“The comment period isn’t designed to be a ballot referendum,” he says “We didn’t count ‘yeas’ and ‘nays.’ It was designed to get feedback from the public, and in fact, much of what we decided ultimately came from public input.” He refers to both the phased implementation structure and the overall layout with a revised starting point for the Gondola Alternative B. The gondola, he insists, was identified as the best choice because of its reliability and its limited environmental impact compared to alternatives

Still, some feel top-down influence precipitated momentum towards a gondola despite the collaborative efforts of Mountain Accord/CWC and the tide of public opinion and believe UDOT put its sizable thumb on the scale.

“I wasn’t on the inside at the state level, but I saw some things unfolding at the beginning,” Becker says. “The gondola was a dream in the eye of Nate Rafferty at Ski Utah and the ski area. Gondola Works was formed and a six-figure PR campaign convinced some state leaders on how cool this would be and how much it would help the ski industry and the state economy. I don’t know how big a role it played, but I think it led to the gondola being given favorable treatment compared to some alternatives.”

“Pressure comes on UDOT from a handful of places. It’s an agency in the governor’s administration and their budget is set by the legislature, so they’re somewhat at the mercy of their bosses,” Fisher says. “How is UDOT supposed to convene an open and transparent process? If they had, they would have listened to the public comments which were overwhelmingly against the gondola.”

The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), were intentionally agnostic to UDOT’s decision. Both organizations stressed their assistance on the project was to help UDOT simply by providing information and expertise. In fact, according to UTA Board of Trustees Chairman Carlton Christensen, UTA emphatically avoided taking sides.

“UDOT relied heavily on UTA for expertise and estimation of operational costs,” Christensen says. “I would say [UDOT] wanted us to take a stronger position on almost every front, but we felt as an organization it was not our place to take a formal position.”

And over at the WFRC, Communications Manager Mike Sobczak said in an email that his organization sat firmly on the fence.

“This is ultimately UDOT’s decision—not the WFRC’s,” Sobczak says. “We just play a required role in including the project in our 2023 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), as well as identifying funding resources for upcoming prioritized projects on the immediate horizon.”

WHO IS GOING TO OPERATE THIS?

There’s a lot of infrastructure that needs to be built, operated and maintained, and many questions remain. Who is going to operate the buses? Who is going to build and operate the gondola? Those remain open questions. UTA is the obvious choice for the buses, as the organization runs the ski buses currently in operation, but even that’s uncertain. UTA, after all, has a lot more on its plate than just getting skiers and snowboarders to the lifts.

“UTA may or may not be the actual provider of bus service for skiers. It depends on what UDOT decides,” says Christensen. “The reality is this concentration of ridership is a seasonal thing for us. UTA has no intention to walk away from ski service until there’s a good solution, but it isn’t what drives our long-term plans. If you provided this level of funding to our mid-range and long-range planners, there’d be a lot of excitement about what they could do to increase ridership throughout the state for people who rely on public transit to get to work and school.”

The gondola, meanwhile, would almost surely come from someone other than UTA. “UTA has never operated a gondola and we have no experience in that sort of planning,” Christensen adds.

SO, IS THIS ACTUALLY, DEFINITELY A GONDOLA PLAN?

“I’m not sure they communicated the phases particularly well,” Christensen says. “Phase 1 and Phase 2 are mostly about buses, and Phase 3 is the most expensive and controversial part. If enhanced busing works, it could save a lot of money. People don’t seem to understand that buses are stuck in the same traffic as private vehicles. Until controlled access is implemented with tolling and parking restrictions, I don’t think we’ll see the effectiveness enhanced bussing could have.”

UDOT’s Van Jura echoed this sentiment, indicating that, at least in the short term, this is a bus project. “All of our attention is devoted to Phase 1 at the moment. It’s the only thing we have funded right now,” he says.

Even Fisher finds some solace in the phased approach but worries little thought is being given to how the success or failure of early stages will impact the future. 

“Many of us broadly support Phase 1 components, but the process has prevented us from finding broader solutions for the long run. We’re going to spend $240 million, but UDOT hasn’t demonstrated what success from that would even look like or how that could affect future decisions,” he says.

UDOT’s recommendation essentially kicks responsibility to the Utah Legislature. For each upcoming phase, the legislature must provide funding to move forward. However, there’s no formal process to reassess the need for additional phases, which is something the WFRC had originally voted in favor of.

In theory, even if the first and/or second phases are wildly successful, there’s no formal review process to assess needs going forward. The only thing keeping taxpayers off the hook for the remainder of roughly $1 billion is the legislature voting explicitly to deny those funds without a true process to help determine if they should. Basically, while there’s no guarantee the gondola gets built, there’s not a lot checking its inertia.

WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW?

Right now? Not much. Beware the Red Snake this winter. The future promises legal challenges, pro- and anti-gondola messaging and tussles from every interested corner, and probably a lot more misunderstanding and more consternation.

Amidst all that, there remains beauty to behold. The Cottonwood Canyons. The delicate grandeur of the Wasatch. The fleeting weightlessness of a perfect powder turn. It’s all still there if a bit more difficult to access than it once was. The plans may be drawn up, but the future remains unwritten. Don’t forget to enjoy the little things along the way there.  

---

Organized labor is having a moment. After the highly publicized (and politicized) events of what some are calling “hot labor summer,” that much is clear. “We do see the events of new unions forming, even at the Starbucks stores here in Utah. That didn’t happen before,” explains Dr. Eunice Han, an assistant professor in the University of Utah Economics Department. Salt Lake City Public Library workers are seeking to form the first library union in Utah and the employees of Starbucks stores in Utah have voted to unionize. This is at a time when UPS averts a strike by meeting the Teamsters Union’s demands and United Auto Workers strike. Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild—American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) picket the lots of major film studios. “So you can decide whether this is just one case of exceptional stuff, but if you see this everywhere, say, all across the Starbucks in the United States, then it’s some kind of a movement, right?” says Han.  

Why now?

This movement began building during the pandemic, and many in the fight point specifically to Amazon employee efforts to unionize led by Christian Smalls, who first organized a walkout at a Staten Island, N.Y. Amazon warehouse over unsafe working conditions as COVID-19 spread unmitigated. Amazon fired Smalls for his trouble. Other workers faced constant uncertainty and job instability. The pandemic exposed how many so-called “essential workers” felt unrecognized, unprotected and under-compensated, despite their work being deemed necessary for society to function. 

As the fear over the pandemic subsided, the hollow accolades for heroic essential workers evaporated, but their struggles did not. Meanwhile, workers’ real wages have been stagnant, while the corporations that employ them report record profits and pay out sky-high dividends and stock buybacks for shareholders. That only further highlights the overall growing economic inequality of the last 50 years, which is attributed in part to the respective weakening of the labor movement. These factors have been in motion for decades, but workers are emboldened now in ways they have not been during much of that time. 

Han says the messaging and visibility of strikes by high-profile unions like SAG-AFTRA and the WGA are likely inspiring workers across all industries. “They hear the news of writers striking in Hollywood and think, ‘Maybe it’s time for us to speak up.’” Historically, organizing collectively is one of the few ways U.S. workers have consistently been able to progress their interests. A strong labor movement put in place the worker protections we now take for granted—8-hour workdays, overtime pay, the ban on child labor, weekends, a minimum wage, etc. But, collective bargaining does not have the power it once had, in part because our work can be substituted much easier now through outsourcing or by machines. “If employers can go to other places easier instead of giving higher wages to workers, then the bargaining power of the union is lower,” explains Han. Rather than undermining the recent labor movement, the threat of being replaced has emboldened the movement and increased its urgency.

What do we want?

At an event where actors would normally be promoting their latest project to a mass of ecstatic fans, some voice actors instead held a somber panel discussion about the existential threat they face from the unchecked use of machine learning models, collectively referred to as artificial intelligence (AI). As a sign of the times, this year’s San Diego Comic-Con was bereft of the usual movie hype and big IP fanfare because of the ongoing Hollywood strikes, and some of SAG-AFTRA’s negotiators and striking actors instead made their case to reporters and fans. They highlighted the specific use of the technology that positions voice actors at the forefront of the AI issue—an issue that they believe could eventually impact the livelihoods of workers in every industry. 

Voice actors have had their voices recorded for one project and then replicated by AI without their permission in other projects. “What we’re interested in is consent and compensation of the people who are being used. So if you’re going to replicate me or any other performer, we should consent to that, and then we should be compensated for the use,” says ​​Zeke Alton, actor and a SAG-AFTRA negotiating member. 

“We’ll be fighting to make sure that AI doesn’t overtake the human element of creativity,” says Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, alluding to the potential harm to society at large as profit-seeking drives companies’ attempts to remove humanity from the creative process. 

“There is the concept that these large algorithmic machines generate things. Well, they don’t generate anything new,” says Alton. In some cases, the technology scours the online landscape, takes content, runs it through an algorithm and generates an amalgamation. Alton says there needs to be more transparency of what those machines are taking “because it affects the entire labor force. If we can’t see into the machine, then we have no idea of whose life’s work and training are being taken for free, without consent and compensation, and turned into something that makes money for a billionaire sitting somewhere at a retreat. So that’s why this is important to us.”

The union members know the technology is here to stay, but they believe that the unmitigated and uncompensated use of machines to supplant human labor is not an inevitability. “When you look at things like the assembly line that changed the world, the internet that changed the world, that can go one way or the other,” says Alton. “It can be a tool to allow the population to rise, or it can be a tool in the hands of the masters to bring the wealth to a single point in the one percent.”

Ashly Burch, actor in Horizon Zero Dawn and WGA member, says this fight is necessary to ensure a future for the most vulnerable. “It is about protecting people who are new to the industries that they’re trying to enter, who don’t have the support or clout to be able to defend themselves from predatory contracts. That’s a big thing across all unions right now and all the negotiations.” As it stands, the majority of SAG-AFTRA members work day jobs and many don’t meet the union’s income eligibility threshold of $26,470 per year to qualify for healthcare. “I think having unions and being part of a union is a massive, massive movement right now and essential to protect against this kind of technology,” says Burch. “I believe that with collective bargaining you can make protections that ensure that your livelihood is not replaced.” 

When do we want it?

So, you have a union…how do you get employers to listen to your demands? Notably, some of the targets of recent unionization and strike efforts—Amazon, Starbucks and the major motion picture studios—have not come to the table to negotiate in good faith, even with the collective action of its employees. “Employers will always come to the meeting thinking that ‘I’m really not willing to sign anything today,’” says Han. “And the atmosphere is pretty heated. It’s not peaceful, as you can imagine. So unions need to be more strategic.” 

One of the most powerful strategies a union has is to get the public on their side. Public support for unions and organized labor is higher than it has been in decades. According to a Gallup poll from August of last year, 71% of Americans now approve of labor unions. That’s the highest rate of union support since 1965. Even with their more positive attitudes toward labor unions, Han says drastic action could be needed to increase visibility and attract public support. “Employees are going on a strike because they learned that the public actually understands their struggles better if they go on a strike.” 

“As a consumer, you should know that these big companies do care about what you think. Maybe not individually, but collectively, they do.” As SAG-AFTRA’s Chief Negotiator, Crabtree-Ireland says, he hears about company concerns over public perception every single day through back channels. “They definitely care about consumers turning away from the things that generate revenue for them. And so you have immense power if you just inform yourself and don’t let their spin confuse you.” 

As to making the decision to strike, “That kind of drastic action will bring more attention to the public. And, usually, the public view is a kind of weapon, a powerful tool, that workers can wield,” says Han. “But the strategy is kind of a last resort.” 

While striking may be a last resort, when faced with something they see as an existential threat, many workers are not backing down, and that is keeping this broader labor movement alive. “There’s a philosophical difference for how the workers feel and how the employers feel…they [the employers] don’t want to get caught at a competitive disadvantage,” explains Alton. “But they’re bargaining for a competitive and financial advantage. We’re bargaining for our very existence.” As a retired U.S. Navy test pilot and commander, Alton opts for the military metaphor. “We talk in negotiations, ‘Is this the hill you’re willing to die on?’ And we are at an inflection point in history right now. We can choose to fight and die on that hill, or we will be summarily executed there. That’s the only choice we have.”  

---

One of the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, M. Russell Ballard died Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023, at 95 years old. The LDS Church (also known widely as the Mormon Church) announced Ballard’s death Monday. He was the most senior acting member of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—its highest authority outside of its First Presidency.

According to the church’s announcement, after a recent stay in the hospital, Ballard returned home, where he “attended to duties as he was able,” before passing away at approximately 11:15 p.m. on Sunday, surrounded by loved ones. 

Ballard is survived by his seven children, 43 grandchildren, 105 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Ballard’s wife Barbara passed away back in 2018. Those who knew him in the church remember Ballard’s singing Barbara’s praises, “She’s just an angel. It’s awfully hard to live with somebody that’s almost perfect.” In an address at the LDS Church’s general conference shortly after her death, Ballard said, “How grateful I am to know where my precious Barbara is and that we will be together again, with our family, for all eternity.” 

In his final general conference address before his death, Ballard recounted the current church’s version of how Joseph Smith founded the Mormon Church, extolled Smith’s virtues and reflected on his 50 years as an apostle and other leadership roles within the church. 

A legacy now shadowed by controversy

In the weeks and months before his death, Ballard appeared in dozens of news headlines because of his relationship with Tim Ballard (no familial relation), the former CEO of Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.), whom multiple people have accused of sexual misconduct and misleading donors. The LDS Church has distanced itself from Tim Ballard and insinuated that Tim Ballard exploited his friendship with M. Russell Ballard to further his personal interests (as originally reported by VICE News), the still-developing story casts a shadow on M. Russell Ballard’s legacy and raises questions about his dealings as a religious leader and a businessman. The words of the Bard might come to the minds of some, “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” 

M. Russell Ballard became an LDS Apostle in 1985 and then Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 2018. His legacy as a leader of the LDS Church includes the creation of  Preach My Gospel, the instruction guide for all Mormon missionaries. In the church’s statement on Ballard’s death, LDS President Russell M. Nelson said, “He’ll be remembered as a wonderful husband and a great father. This is where his highest priority was. He set a good example for us on that, even though he’d had many, many demands upon his time. His family always came first.” 

In regards to family, Ballard is descended from a long line of prominent Mormon leaders. His grandfathers Melvin J. Ballard and Hyrum M. Smith were both apostles, his great-grandfather was LDS President Joseph F. Smith, the nephew of Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith. One of the possible stains on Ballard’s legacy is the allegation he used his position and authority as a leader of the church to promote his family’s business interests. An exhibit in an ongoing lawsuit against O.U.R. and Tim Ballard states that Davis County District Attorney Troy Rawlings had reason to believe, “Elder M. Russell Ballard’s son-in-law is involved in investing O.U.R.’s money and Elder Ballard and/or his family is benefiting from the investments.” 

The lawsuit also alleges “The Davis County Investigation, according to O.U.R.’s own internal documents, revealed that Elder M. Russell Ballard and other authorities from the Mormon Church, provided Mormon tithing records to O.U.R. to help O.U.R. target wealthy donors and wealthy Mormons,” and that Tim Ballard has met with M. Russell Ballard in the Church Administration Building to discuss O.U.R.’s work.

The LDS Church has denied that Ballard ever released tithing records to O.U.R. or any other organization. The church also denied it ever endorsed or supported O.U.R. or Tim Ballard. In defense of Tim Ballard, a wealthy member of the church and founder of ClickFunnels, Russell Brunson posted a video on social media saying M. Russell Ballard approached him, “he personally called me and asked me to help Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad.” Going on to say, “I have literally sat in the room with Elder Ballard and Tim Ballard to discuss these things and these ideas.”

In his professional life before being called as an apostle, M. Russell Ballard was involved in the automotive, real estate and investment industries. His first car dealership failed when Ford shuttered the automotive brand Edsel. Ballard attributed the business’s failure to ignoring inspiration he received while praying. Later, Ballard became president of Keystone Securities Corporation, and not long after that, the Securities and Exchange Commission started investigating Keystone for fraud, ultimately charging the company with providing false statements to the SEC and revoking its broker-dealer registration. Another venture of his, the Valley Music Hall was a concert venue in Bountiful, Utah. According to the faith’s Church News, “After fire damaged the building in the 1970s, the Church purchased the building and converted it for conferences and other Church and cultural functions.”

On business and hard work, the church’s Monday statement quotes M. Russell Ballard as saying, “Ultimately, it works out to your satisfaction that either you win, and it becomes profitable, or you learn that it’s not going to work, and you step away from it, but you never leave wondering if you’re willing to stay with it.” 

Fellow Mormon apostle Dallin H. Oaks adds, “His business experience served him well in asking the probing questions that need to be asked when you propose a program or when you ask, ‘Are we using the resources effectively?’”

The O.U.R. lawsuit claims Tim Ballard said M. Russell Ballard gave permission for the use of controversial tactics in O.U.R. operations—specifically, a tactic called the “couples ruse,” which allegedly allowed opportunities for Ballard to sexually assault women who went undercover with him. The suit also asserts that Tim Ballard claimed M. Russell Ballard had given him multiple priesthood blessings. 

In his own words in a 2019 graduation address at BYU Idaho, M. Russell Ballard spoke of a trip he went on with his son Craig, son-in-law Brad and “family friend,” Tim Ballard: “I had the opportunity this past summer to travel to Plymouth, Massachusetts, with my friend Tim Ballard to learn more about what he had learned regarding Nephi’s vision of these early Pilgrims and how their history corroborates Nephi’s vision.” Mormons believe Nephi is an ancient prophet who came to North America from Israel sometime around 600 B.C. 

As far as where Tim Ballard received his insights on Nephi, the lawsuit against Tim Ballard claims “[Tim] Ballard would get ketamine treatments and have a scribe come in with him while he would talk to the dead prophet Nephi and issue forth prophecies about Ballard’s greatness and future as a United States Senator, President of the United States, and ultimately the Mormon Prophet, to usher in the second coming of Jesus Christ.” The lawsuit also alleges that Tim Ballard consulted a psychic medium (another defendant in the lawsuit) who also communed with Nephi. 

Funeral services for M. Russell Ballard

Funeral services for M. Russell Ballard are scheduled for Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MST, at the Tabernacle on Temple Square. The funeral will be open to the public ages eight years and older.The Temple Square gates and the Tabernacle doors will open at 9:30 a.m., and attendees should be in their seats by 10:30 a.m. The funeral services will also stream live on the Church’s broadcasts page as well as BYUtv. A private burial service will take place at the Salt Lake City Cemetery immediately following the funeral. There will be no public viewing. 

In lieu of flowers, President Ballard’s family has asked that donations be made to This Is The Place Heritage Park.

---

Pour one out for those trying to get anything done in Park City. The cause of profiteering developers is far from a sympathetic one, it’s just that seeing the never-ending clash with the diametrically opposed NIMBY forces makes one appreciate the Sisyphean task of getting anything done before the end of days. Public opposition is often well-founded, owing to the frequent breaches of trust and backroom dealings rampant in issues surrounding the Wasatch Back, but it’s nearly as often based in blatantly exclusionary values. All of which is a nice way of saying development conversations have essentially become two sides screaming into the void while decisions get made on an ever-evolving timeline. The focal point in town is once again the Snow Park redevelopment at the base of Deer Valley, where the latest plans hinge on the town vacating right-of-way on parts of Deer Valley Drive. 

“What does that mean?” Just about anyone reading this is probably asking. In essence, Deer Valley Resort owner Alterra hopes to turn the current road at the base of the mountain into a ski beach by pulling the Carpenter and Silver Lake Lifts toward the parking lot. In exchange the resort would relinquish part of Doe Pass Road to the city as part of the overhauled traffic circulation plan for the area. This could only be accomplished with the blessing of the Park City Council, should they determine a net tangible benefit from the arrangement. 

The right-of-way plot is the newest twist in plans for the area. The resort has longstanding development rights dating back decades and hopes to build 420,000 square feet of retail space and 21,000 feet of commercial space, along with some 1,250 underground parking spaces to replace the sprawling parking lots currently encircled by Deer Valley Drive. Nearby residents had already expressed a bevy of concerns, and they’ve found a united front against the latest proposal. 

“There’s been some confusion about the council’s direction for the Snow Park vacation item,” Mayor Nann Worel said during a July Council hearing. Worel went on to compare the deliberations to those relating to the town’s acquisition of Bonanza Flat and Treasure Hill, possibly sowing some further confusion in the process. Those, after all, were land acquisitions voted on by the public. The mayor, however, sought to indicate her intention was to assure the public their input would be solicited throughout the process.

Public input, at least as expressed openly thus far, has been overly negative. When the town received testimony on the road vacation in March, the results were overwhelmingly against the proposal, citing such topics as whether area residents would be unfairly burdened by additional traffic and if it’s the community’s responsibility to create what is essentially a welcome experience for a private resort. Deer Valley has countered the road vacation would lead to a better organized and executed development, and supporters of both sides remain dug in, seemingly unwilling to budge. Ultimately, the council is going to face someone’s wrath no matter how they rule.

Snow Park isn’t the only expansion surrounding Deer Valley that’s raised some hackles. Mayflower Mountain Resort, the new mountain built on the Deer Valley’s east side, is expected to attract a flood of visitors, who in addition to revenue will bring increased traffic congestion and the need for some 5,000 employees when operating at full capacity. There is a brewing agreement between Alterra and Mayflower’s owners to allow lift access and base amenities for Deer Valley skiers, meaning Deer Valley is expanding on and thus facing the ire of locals on multiple fronts. 

For now, it’s a holding pattern as the community and Alterra wait on the City Council’s decision. Somehow in some way, Snow Park is going to be developed. I can assure you both sides can commission studies empirically supporting their preferred vision of the future, but the developers and the NIMBYs remain in a stalemate with no end in sight. The loop of pavement may be a literal road to nowhere, but it plays a pretty important role in what Park City’s future will look like.  

How Can a Town Vacate a Road?

According to Utah Code, road vacation is authorized as a legislative act under the Municipal Land Use, Development and Management Act so long as “good cause exists for the vacation and neither the public interest nor any person will be materially injured by the vacation.” In Park City’s Land Management Code, good cause includes “addressing issues relating to density,” which is likely a key component of the current discussion. There’s also language about “preserving the character of the neighborhood,” so we’ll see which of those is weighted more heavily.

---

This salt lake city Mayoral Election strikes a contrast to the election four years ago, but the issues that are on the top of voters’ minds are a return to many of the persistent, pre-pandemic concerns. This is the first SLC mayoral race to be decided by Ranked Choice Voting, and there’s no mad scramble to fill the void left behind by an incumbent stepping down, as former Mayor Biskupski did in 2019. Among SLC voters’ choices for their next mayor are the incumbent, current mayor and a former one; Mayor Erin Mendenhall seeks reelection after taking office in 2020, along with former SLC Mayor Rocky Anderson who first took office 20 years before Mendenhall. Priorities for the candidates include addressing homelessness, affordable housing, crime, air quality and the water crisis impacting the Great Salt Lake…But the devil is in the details, and how each candidate plans to address those issues could be the deciding factor. So, we ask the candidates, “What’s the plan?”

Editor’s note: Publication deadline preceded final filing deadline. Attempts to contact SLC mayoral candidate Michael Valentine before deadline failed

What are your top Priorities After Getting Elected/Reelected?

What’s the plan to Support local businesses?

Whats the plan to address the need for more affordable housing?

What’s the plan to provide resources/housing to people experiencing homelessness?

What’s the plan to improve community policing?

What’s the plan to increase access to open spaces, city parks, trails, etc?

What’s the plan to Expand sustainability programs?

What are the best ways for Salt Lake City Residents to get more actively involved in their communities?

Finally, whats is the most important thing for Salt Lake City voters to know about you?

Ranked Choice Voting

SLC’s Mayoral Election will be decided purely by Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). The SLC City Council voted to use RCV without a primary election back in March of this year, taking advantage of a thus-far successful RSV pilot program utilized for municipal elections scattered across the state.

How does it work? The RCV system allows voters to cast their vogtes on their ballot for their preferred candidates as well as backup choices, ranking them accordingly. If a candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, they are declared the winer. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority.

---

In midway, Hidden Peak Provisions is the taste of the town. I mean that literally. Almost every component of every menu item is homegrown or roasted or harvested or made. “There’s a lot of talent locally—bakers, farmers and ranchers. We’ve got a really self-sustainable valley,” Tom Thibodeau, chef at Hidden Peak Provisions says. “The bread, meat, produce, eggs, coffee and chocolate we use are all produced right here.”

In December 2022, Thibodeau opened Hidden Peak Provisions alongside Sarah Farrell. They’d been operating a private catering business, Hidden Peak Dining, for five years prior. The restaurant specializes in sandwiches, which might sound simple but is anything but. Ask anyone who’s experienced the difficulty of finding that perfect sandwich along the Wasatch Back. It takes a collection of high-quality components to create a legitimately exceptional sandwich. “I just wanted a good sandwich desperately, and I figured other people might, too. So we wanted to offer a space where we could offer our style of food to everybody all the time,” says Thibodeau. 

Midway ended up being the ideal landing spot for the new restaurant. “There’s a great small-town vibe in Midway—a little bit of Old Park City floating around—and it’s really becoming a foodie town. I think people appreciate how we work with local providers and our menu reflects that,” says Farrell. 

Add to that, Hidden Peak Provisions has tapped into Utah’s outdoor scene by becoming a hub for some post-adventure refreshment, buoyed by the fact it’s down the road from the Wow Trailhead and the Wasatch Mountain Golf Course. “We want to cater to the après recreation crowd. We’ve extended our hours from 11 a.m. to  7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday so hungry people can come by, and we’ve added a new charcuterie board to the menu with some great items we’re importing from A Priori,” Farrell says.

Most everything is made in-house, but special attention goes to the fermented items scattered throughout the menu. “I’m definitely passionate about fermenting just about everything under the moon,” Thibodeau says. As a native of the Windy City, I’m particularly partial to the giardiniera on the Chicago, a take on the namesake city’s classic Italian Beef. Stop in for a sandwich and enjoy the fermented flight to taste some of Hidden Peak’s funkiest creations. 93 W. Main St., Midway, 203-512-4230, hiddenpeakprovisions.com

---

It’s not new information that professional gamers are the new ‘It’ athletes. Just last month popular streamer and professional Overwatch player xQc signed a $100 million contract with new streaming platform Kick. That’s more than Lebron James’ contract with the Lakers, who is widely regarded as one of the most famous athletes in the world. The rising interest in esports is partly attributed to COVID-19, but doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. The global industry is the fastest growing sport in the world, and is projected to eclipse $10 billion in the next decade. 

Despite grumblings from youth sports activists and begrudged girlfriends, the gaming industry promises fame and fortune, and many cities are throwing their hat in the ring to become the next esports hub. Salt Lake is about to be one of them. 

On August 6th, The Gateway will host an unprecedented event for Utah: The Halo Championship Series. Attendees of the main event at The Depot, which is already sold out, will watch as competitors from around the globe compete for a grand prize of $125K. Interested viewers who weren’t able to secure a ticket can still enjoy the festivities at The Depot’s “underground venue,” which is open to the public. The space will provide everything from free play centers to backyard games. You can also view the tournament in the comfort of your home on Halo and HCS’s twitch and youtube accounts. More on who is competing, and how the championship bracket is decided, on HCS’s website. This event takes place Aug. 4–6. 

A less competitive, but just as fun event, the Gateway is also hosting the Nintendo Summer of Play Tour, an all-ages event that invites everyone to come and interact with their favorite characters. The traveling set features six unique areas where guests can sit for photo ops with Tom Nook and Isabelle from Animal Crossing, and play Mario Party with friends. Don’t forget to get your Nintendo passport when you arrive and collect stamps at each activity to win free Nintendo goodies. This event takes place Aug. 10–13. 

Utah Esports Teams

Jazz Gaming

Jazz gaming is Utah’s foremost esports team created in collaboration between the NBA and the Take Two Interactive. The professional league invites Utah’s best NBA 2K players to compete with other teams around the country and stream to a live audience. 

University of Utah’s Esports League

In 2017, the University of Utah’s Entertainment Arts and Engineering Master Game Studio school created a collegiate esports league. The competitive league boasts four team rosters across four games like League of Legends and Rocket League. In conjunction with the program, the players have access to sports psychologists, nutrition and wellness coaches, cognitive and behavioral trainers. 

Utah Valley Esports 

A student-run club organization, the Utah Valley esports league was launched in 2021. Lovers of all competitive and casual games are invited to compete in internal and scheduled tournaments. 

Find more local gaming communities and clubs here!

---