It's no secret--the economy is on everybody's mind these days...
How Will The Economy Impact Real Estate in Park City & Deer Valley, Utah?
We sat down and had lunch with some of the brightest minds in resort real estate last week.
Guests at the event included Harry Frampton (Founder of East West Partners and Chairman of the Urban Land Institute) and Jim Flaum, the Managing Broker for Slifer, Smith and Frampton Vail Associates Real Estate.
These guys have been selling ski-in/ski-out real estate for decades, and they traveled to Park City to generously share some of their experiences in challenging economic times with a handful of local brokers who had been invited to the think-tank themed luncheon.
Good News For Park City & Deer Valley Real Estate
Global hotel brands St. Regis, Montage, and Waldorf=Astoria all have ultra-luxury hotels under construction in the Park City/Deer Valley area.
The Halo Effect: "Branded" Hotels Will Redefine Deer Valley Real Estate
According to Frampton, Deer Valley will see a "Halo Effect" the day the St. Regis Resort & Residences, Deer Crest opens its doors in 2009.
"We saw it happen with the Ritz Carlton in Bachelor Gulch. As soon as the hotel opened, we saw a totally different type of visitor to the valley." The type of visitor who only stays at branded 5 star resorts...
Will History Repeat Itself in Deer Valley, Utah?
So what was the impact on the local real estate market in Vail when the Ritz Carlton opened? "Average prices increased from $200-400 per square foot at neighboring properties in town," according to Frampton.
Expert Says Global Hotel Brands Will Elevate Park City, Utah as a Travel Destination
There's tremendous power and leverage behind the global brands. According to Jim Miller, General Manager of Dakota Mountain Lodge, "branded hotels will help elevate the Park City area as a destination."
Consider the new Waldorf=Astoria Park City, for instance. Hilton is the parent company of Waldorf=Astoria Collection. Dakota Mountain Lodge is the only true ski-in/ski-out property in Hilton's stable.
Park City Hotel Reservations Turbocharged?
Hilton books over 1 million room nights per day using a robust online reservation system for their 3,300 properties. This doesn't even include the additional rooms reserved on online travel sites like Hotwire, Expedia, and Travelocity.
Furthermore, they have more than 200 global salespeople whose sole job is to promote and book group and conference reservations at Hilton hotels around the world. This could be a key ingredient in creating business during the non-skiing months.
The ability to tap into sister brands is critical. Think of the 20 Million Hilton Honors customers, not to mention their cooperative marketing agreements with airlines, credit card companies, etc...
St. Regis & Montage Also Have Marketing Machines
Do you think this might have an impact on real estate in Park City or Deer Valley?
Related Articles:
Park City and Deer Valley’s Best Cash Flow Condos are…
The Best Cash-Flow Condos in Deer Valley (Part II)
Deer Valley Is Not the Only Smart Money Bet in Town (Part III)
