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Telluride Ski Resort is planning to reopen on Monday, Jan. 5, after spending more than a week closed with its ski patrol on strike.
The resort announced on social media Saturday that it would run one lift with access to its bunny hill. Representatives were not immediately available to comment on what this means for negotiations with the patrollers’ union, the Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association. The patrol remains on strike, union president Graham Hoffman said Saturday morning.
Reactions on social media were mixed, with comments ranging from relief and excitement to frustration and disappointment. Many expressed support for the patrol and called on the resort to settle the contract dispute. Meanwhile, the Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association continued picketing at the gondola station in downtown Telluride on Saturday.
Telluride bookings plummet, anxiety rises as ski resort strike continues
Telluride Ski Resort originally opened on Dec. 6, a week later than originally planned due to an uncharacteristically warm start to the season. It closed on Dec. 27 when the ski patrollers went on strike and has since been working to recruit personnel, including medical professionals, to fill the gaps in staffing.
The union and resort have been negotiating a new contract since June, and patrollers walked off the job after rejecting an offer deemed the resort’s “last, best and final” in early December. It’s unclear if bargaining has resumed.
The resort’s closure has the potential to send the local economy, which relies heavily on tourism, into a tailspin. Most New Year’s Eve visitors kept their trips since the closure was announced with short notice, Telluride Town Manager Zoe Dohnal previously told The Denver Post, though that was expected to change as the situation wore on.
A week after the closure was announced, the number of lodging accommodations booked for the rest of the season dropped 54% year-over-year, according to the Telluride Tourism Board. Local officials have been pushing other winter activities, such as snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ice skating; however, “the reality is everyone comes to Telluride to ski,” Mayor Teddy Errico said previously.
“We only have three months left in our season. We know that the impact, if it lands, is people losing their jobs, people boarding up their restaurants,” Errico said. “But we’re doing everything in our power to mitigate those concerns.”
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Tiney Ricciardi
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