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Keep one thing in mind........ Higher room rates translates into higher food rates and higher souvenir rates and all that translates into the fact that the average person won't be able to afford any of it. Just look at Aspen.
The chances of Silverton turning into another Aspen because of anything the RR brings in are beyond remote. Until the fine folks there get busy and build 3 major ski areas, and find a way to squeeze an all-season, all-weather airport into the valley to bring in the private jets, I think your pocketbook is safe.
As I tried to point out in a previous posting, the market he's trying to tap is NOT Aspen-wealthy jet-set types anyway.
A more upscale offering with high room rates and upscale meals can actually have the affect of bringing in other, more affordable, accommodations and restaurant offerings as an overnight business builds. Neither the D&S, nor the town of Silverton can exist soley on the backs of "the Rich", and nobody's suggesting otherwise. What Harper's looking for is
incremental business to supplement all of us "regular folk" who'll still provide the bulk of his numbers.
Scott