(1888PressRelease)
July 05, 2006 - Ogden City, Utah, USA - Once again, Ogden City, Utah, USA is extending an invitation to the world much like it did during the Winter Olympic Games in 2002. That invitation was given to athletes and spectators to take advantage of what Utah boasts as “The Greatest Snow on Earth.” Tens of thousands flocked to Ogden and surrounding Utah cities to see the games and came away impressed by the friendliness of the people, the beautiful scenery and the excellent amenities Ogden and the State of Utah has to offer. Today, the invitation is extended to companies in the ski industry from Europe to come to Ogden, which is quickly becoming a business center for ski companies from around the world.
Under the able leadership of Mayor Matthew Godfrey, Ogden City has been capitalizing on its close proximity to ski resorts and recreational areas, its advanced civic and economic infrastructure, and highly educated workforce to attract businesses in the ski industry to what Ogden City calls “The Hub.” Already a high number of major companies from the ski industry have decided to relocate to Ogden City. These include companies such as: Scott USA, Descente North America, Goode, Kahuna, and SnowSports Interactive.
The design of “The Hub” project is to create a ski business cluster and as such to be “The Hub” of the ski industry, both nationally and internationally. This is due to the announcement of a ski resort that is proposed to be built on the “urban side” of Ogden’s mountain range. Along with the resort was discussed the possibility of connecting the resort to downtown via a gondola. A separate gondola, funded by the resort owners, will go up the mountain to the pedestrian village and year-round resort.
This would make Ogden the only urban center in the United States that is connected to a ski resort and only one of a few in the world, and the only place in the world where an urban center and university is connected to a ski resort. The access the gondola provides to the mountain, combined with the close proximity to Salt Lake City International Airport, makes Ogden an ideal place for the ski industry to do business.
Chief Financial Officer of Scott USA, Dave Stevens, spoke of his company’s move to Ogden City in this way, "We’ve been looking actively since December (2005) for our distribution and production center. We looked at a number of locations in Utah, and Ogden really offers what we need. It has strong growth potential, and the amenities are better than anywhere else we looked at. Ogden has biking, hiking and a host of outdoor recreation opportunities, the university, and access to ski resorts within 25 minutes. We’re also excited about the plans for a gondola.”
Steve Kenny, Managing Director of SnowSports Interactive said, “We’ve been actively looking for the past several months for a base of operations that would allow us to tap into the North American ski industry, and Ogden offers everything we need. It has substantial potential for growth, excellent amenities, and a diverse range of outdoor recreational opportunities. Additionally Ogden’s relaxed atmosphere, the proposed gondola running from downtown to the mountain and access to ski resorts within 20-25 minutes are key components of our decision to base operations here. We’re extremely excited about the prospect of being here and the long-term potential for both Ogden City and the company.”
Fully aware that Ogden is quickly becoming a destination for people from around the world, the city has recently engaged international business development firm, Bridge Atlantik Corporation, to help extend its invitation to ski companies in Europe and encourage these companies to consider Ogden City as an ideal location for their North American operations. In speaking of this project, Bridge Atlantik’s Chief Operating Officer – Europe, Jeremy Whittaker said “Ogden City has a far reaching vision in terms growth and economic development. ‘The Hub’ project is just one aspect of this vision and we are excited that Ogden City has chosen Bridge Atlantik to represent its interests in Europe by approaching decision makers from European ski companies to come and see for themselves what Ogden has to offer. We believe in this project, Ogden is an excellent location for any company involved in outdoor recreation, especially snow sports. Together with Mayor Godfrey and Ogden City, we extend a heartfelt invitation to ski companies throughout Europe to come see and learn about how Ogden City and how ‘The Hub’ will add value to your company as an ideal location to do business in North America.”
###
