Building Small Town Acceptance for a World-Class Resort

Snowmass Village, Colorado had been the sleepy next-door-neighbor to glitzy Aspen for decades. In 2003, Intrawest Resort Development Group asked GCA to help propel Snowmass Village to the big-time with a proposed $400 million ski resort expansion and one million square-foot Base Village at the foot of the mountain.

GCA created an extensive outreach campaign for Base Village to identify, recruit and mobilize support from within the insular mountain community. A voter survey assessed misperceptions about the project, identified persuasive messages, and analyzed the effectiveness of potential project concessions. Outreach materials were developed to resonate with concerns about the community’s stagnating economy, declining competitiveness as a resort destination, and lack of retail, restaurant, and civic amenities. Working with the client’s strong team of on-site resources, GCA put together an active speakers’ bureau, direct mail program, press relations activities, and a series of coffees and open houses to get the word out about the benefits of Base Village. A coalition of local businesses and citizens was formed that, with GCA guidance, collected pro-project endorsements, coordinated pro-project activities at Town Hall, and responded to the efforts of a well-funded, well-organized anti-project coalition.

The results: An anti-project referendum was defeated and the Town Council unanimously approved the application for Base Village. When opponents next referended the project approval, GCA successfully built upon Round One resources to win voter approval in the second election. The project referendum drew a record turnout of voters and won 55% final voter approval for Base Village.

GCA’s projects are successful projects. Check out www.snowmassvillage.com.