After falling hard in 2009, businesses returning to the Vail Valley
Scott N. Miller, Vail Daily
Vail, CO Colorado

By the numbers

39: Percent of U.S. adults who traveled on business in 2008.
24: Percent of U.S. adults who traveled on business in 2011.
31: Percent of business travelers for conferences or conventions in 2011.
56: Percent of U.S. adults who plan to take a leisure trip in the next six months.
Source: U.S. Travel Association/MMGY Global survey, February, 2012.

EAGLE COUNTY, Colorado — After a few years hiding in the darkness, corporate travel seems to be making a comeback in the Vail Valley.

In the golden days, about the middle of the last decade, profitable companies often rewarded their people by sending them to conferences in nice places — here, for instance. Then came the financial meltdown of 2008.

After the international financial crisis hit, corporate travel dropped by more than 15 percent the next year, thanks to something people in the travel business call the “AIG Effect.” Just days after receiving an $85 billion bailout, one of the company’s subsidiaries hosted an expensive conference at an expensive California resort.

Corporate travel then turned into something of a political football when President Barack Obama told big companies to consider more modest places — like Omaha — for their corporate retreats instead of fancier spots such as Las Vegas. Or Beaver Creek.

Corporate travel planners went undergound like prairie dogs that have spotted a hawk.

Over the past couple of years, though, corporate travel has started to make a slow comeback.

Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa General Manager Bob Trotter opened that hotel in Avon in September of 2008, just as the worldwide financial system took that well-publicized nosedive, so that property never saw the good times. But, he said, corporate business is coming back, and he’s got the numbers to prove it.

The Westin tracks its group business a couple of ways: “social” groups such as weddings and corporate business. For the first few years the Westin was open, the social and corporate sectors each accounted for about half of the hotel’s group business.

These days, corporate business makes up more than 60 percent of the Westin’s group business. That split comes from business growth, Trotter said.

“Not only are the corporate meetings coming back, but so are the incentive trips, the corporate rewards,” Trotter said.

The Vail Valley Partnership helps book group business into lodges up and down the valley, and executive director Chris Romer said his organization is seeing the same trends Trotter is.

Year-over-year bookings for corporate travel are up 14 percent from last year, Romer said, adding that the Partnership’s sales people are working several leads to expand that business further.

Romer said the Vail Valley’s brand awareness, combined with the marketing power of national hotel groups, has helped get the attention of people who book trips at trade shows and other events.

Like leisure travel, Romer said there may be some pent-up demand for corporate trips to nice places. Add in the fact that Vail Valley hotels can often beat Denver hotels on rates between May and October, and a trip to the mountains can make good business sense, too.

Beyond the big companies, business groups from Colorado like booking in the Vail Valley because of its location, Romer said.

In May, the Denver office of the Dale Carnegie Training, will bring a three-day seminar to the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort. It’s the first time in five years the company has brought one of its courses to the area.

Steve Larson of the Dale Carnegie Denver office said he hopes the seminar attracts a mix of people from both the mountain resort region and elsewhere.

Larson said the company’s return to Vail might also reflect an increase in corporate training budgets, which shrunk along with travel when the 2008 recession hit with full force.

“We’ve seen an uptick in training over the last 12 to 18 months,” Larson said. There’s also been more willingness for companies to venture outside cities when they do send people to train.

“We want a good environment for people to learn,” Larson said. “If they’re tucked away on an island in the middle of a city, people won’t learn as well.”

While corporate travel to the Vail Valley isn’t yet back to the levels it hit in the middle of the last decade, Trotter — whose last job was in the Denver area — said there’s even more reason for optimism.

“The corporate market is already all the way back down there,” he said.

To learn more about B-LineXpress and their transportation capabilities for your corporate travel and conference in Vail and Beaver Creek Colorado, contact us at the information below.

If you need Vail Transportation, Beaver Creek Transportation, or Aspen Transportation services call
B-LineXpress at 1-800-423-0929 or visit us on the web at www.aspenvaillimo.com

B-LineXpress
800-423-0929 (toll free)
www.aspenvaillimo.com
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B-LineXpress also provided all the airport ground transportation from/to Denver Airport and the Four Seasons Hotel in Vail, CO for all the guests.

To learn more about B-LineXpress and their transportation capabilities for your corporate travel and conference in Vail and Beaver Creek Colorado, contact us at the information below.

If you need Vail Transportation, Beaver Creek Transportation, or Aspen Transportation services call
B-LineXpress at 1-800-423-0929 or visit us on the web at www.aspenvaillimo.com

B-LineXpress
800-423-0929 (toll free)
www.aspenvaillimo.com
info@aspenvaillimo.com

Co-winner at the legendary World Pond Skimming Championships presented by ROCKSTAR at Lake Golden Peak at Vail Mountain’s Golden Peak base area on April 15, 2012.

Finalist at the legendary World Pond Skimming Championships presented by ROCKSTAR at Lake Golden Peak at Vail Mountain’s Golden Peak base area on April 15, 2012.

Pictures of other Pond Skimming Contestants

If you need Vail Transportation, Beaver Creek Transportation, or Aspen Transportation services call B-LineXpress at 1-800-423-0929 or visit us on the web at www.aspenvaillimo.com

B-LineXpress
800-423-0929 (toll free)
www.aspenvaillimo.com
info@aspenvaillimo.com

In order to provide safe transportation to attendees for the Snowball Music Festival 2012, AspenVailLimo.com offering the “B-LineXpress”, an affordable and luxurious private shuttle service between Vail and the SnowBall Music Festival site in Avon, CO. Attendees will get Private Round Trip service for up to 13 passengers anywhere from Vail to Edwards, CO in a luxurious mini-coach.

Snowball Music Festival Shuttle Reservations

We recommend making reservations as soon as possible by calling B-LineXpress 800-423-0929 or submitting online at Snowball Music Festival Shuttle Reservations.

These Private Shuttles will run from 12:00pm to 2:30am. B-LineXpress will provide Late-night pick ups at Agave, Loaded Joe’s and Traer Creek Parking Lot after the late-night music events.

Private round trip service up to 13 passengers to and from anywhere in Vail, Avon, Beaver Creek, Edwards and the Snowball Musical Festival sites.

Lodging and Hotels Near SnowBall Music Festival

B-LineXpress will provide transportation to and from the following hotels in Vail-Beaver Creek to the Snowball Music Festival.

Antlers at Vail

Arrabelle Hotel Vail

Austria House Vail

Beaver Creek Lodge

Christie Lodge
47 E. Beaver Creek Blvd.
Avon, CO 81620
888.325.6343

Evergreen Lodge
250 S. Frontage Road
Vail, CO 81657
970.476.7810 or 800.284.VAIL (8245)

One Willow Bridge Road Vail

Roost Lodge
1783 N. Frontage Road
Vail, CO 81657
970.476.5451

Borders Lodge
1120 Village Road
Beaver Creek, CO 81620
Click here to reserve a room!

The Charter at Beaver Creek
120 Offerson Road
Beaver Creek, CO 81620
Click here to reserve a room!

Four Seasons Vail

Holiday Inn Apex Vail
2211 N. Frontage Road
Vail, CO 81657
866.317.APEX (2739) or 970.476.APEX (2739)

Hyatt Beaver Creek

Comfort Inn Vail/Beaver Creek
0161 W. Beaver Creek Blvd.
Avon, CO 81620
970.949.5511

The Seasons at Avon
137 W. Benchmark Road
Avon, CO 81620
877.820.7669, option 2

Arrowhead Village Condominiums
0160 Cresta Road
Edwards, CO 81632
877.820.7669, option 2

Inn & Suites Riverwalk
27 Main Street
Edwards, CO 81632
970.926.0606 or 888.926.0606

Lodge Hotel Vail

AmericInn
0085 Pond Road
Eagle, CO 81631
800.634.3444 or 970.328.515

Eagle Lodge & Suites
200 Loren Lane
Eagle, CO 81631
800.475.4824

Manor Vail Lodge

Solaris Vail

Sonnenalp Resort Vail

The Pines Lodge
141 Scott Hill Road
Avon, CO 81620
877.820.7669

The Osprey at Beaver Creek
10 Elk Track Lane
Avon, CO 81620
877.820.7669

The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail
728 West Lionshead Circle
Vail, CO 81657
800-351-3679

Tivoli Lodge Vail

Vail Cascade Resort

Vail Racquet Club

Westin Beaver Creek

If you need Vail Transportation, Beaver Creek Transportation, or Aspen Transportation services call B-LineXpress at 1-800-423-0929 or visit us on the web at www.aspenvaillimo.com

B-LineXpress
800-423-0929 (toll free)
www.aspenvaillimo.com
info@aspenvaillimo.com

Updated: January 31, 2011 3:00 pm ET

Widespread warmth has been dominating the weather headlines as we transition from late January to February across the central and eastern states. Simply put, there hasn’t been a whole lot of active weather (rain/snow) across the country since late last week and let’s face it, tracking warm temperatures isn’t the most exciting weather story to follow this time of year.

As we head to the latter portion of this week and into the weekend, it appears the atmosphere will rev its engine back up across the central states. Energy aloft will dig in across the Rockies and help to spawn a low-pressure system in the Plains. The system will ingest moisture flowing northward out of the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in both a wintry and wet side to this new storm.

The snowy and windy side of this storm system will exist along the Front Range of the Rockies into the central High Plains of eastern Colorado, northwest Kansas and Nebraska beginning late Thursday and continuing through Friday. Although details are uncertain at this point, there could be some rather hefty snow amounts in portions of this region.

Potential snow cities: Denver | Goodland, Kan. | North Platte, Neb.

Wet and Stormy Side to the System

In the mild sector ahead of the cold front, rain and thunderstorms will flourish from late Thursday through Friday. More drought-helping rains will target portions of Texas and Oklahoma. In addition, we will watch for the potential of any severe thunderstorms during this time period in the south-central states. Click on the forecast map links below to see the threat areas each day.

Friday’s forecast map: Snow, rain and thunderstorms for the central states.

Storm Slides East Saturday

As we head into the weekend, the storm system will slowly slide eastward. Rain and some thunderstorms are likely push east across the South and Ohio Valley. Snow will continue over portions of the Midwest (white shadings on map below).

If you need Vail Transportation, Beaver Creek Transportation, or Aspen Transportation services call B-LineXpress at 1-800-423-0929 or visit us on the web at www.aspenvaillimo.com

B-LineXpress
800-423-0929 (toll free)
www.aspenvaillimo.com
info@aspenvaillimo.com

A major storm hit the mountains Saturday, bringing some needed snow to the state’s ski resorts.

The Colorado State Patrol issued an accident alert because of numerous accidents and poor conditions on Vail Pass, and westbound Interstate 70 was closed all evening west of Eagle after a semi hauling soda rolled over.

The adult male driver was transported to Valley View Hospital with serious injuries.

National Weather Service forecasters estimate that the wind/snow combination could leave snow drifts of up to 4 feet in some areas by this morning.

“All the high country is going to get a pretty good dose of winter,” said Kyle Fredin, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Boulder.

The Weather Service has issued a high-wind warning for today for parts of Weld, Morgan, Logan, Washington, Sedgwick and Phillips counties.

Saturday’s still-springlike 60-degree temps in the metro area will be replaced today with 25-35 mph wind gusts and highs in the mid-40s.

Read more: Snowstorm slams Colorado mountains – The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_19792420#ixzz1kFtWo2b2

If you need Vail Transportation, Beaver Creek Transportation, or Aspen Transportation services call B-LineXpress at 1-800-423-0929 or visit us on the web at www.aspenvaillimo.com

B-LineXpress
800-423-0929 (toll free)
www.aspenvaillimo.com
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Drop everything you have planned for Wednesday and get up to Aspen/Snowmass! Mother Nature just dumped 14″ of beautiful powder on us and conditions are the best they’ve been all season.

Photo by Jeremy Swanson

If you need Aspen Transportation, Snowmass Transportation, or Aspen Limo services call B-LineXpress at 1-800-423-0929 or visit us on the web at www.aspenvaillimo.com

B-LineXpress
800-423-0929 (toll free)
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DENVER — Holding the Winter Olympics in Denver in 2022 would cost about $1.5 billion – most of which would be privately raised, a Colorado-based sports marketing company told city and state officials on Saturday.

The Denver estimate came at the first meeting of an exploratory committee that will decide within 90 days on whether to pursue or abandon a bid. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock convened the panel, which includes business leaders and other public officials.

Denver was awarded the 1976 Winter Olympics, but voters later rejected the idea over concerns of pollution and sprawl. The games were eventually held in Innsbruck, Austria.

The panel, which is tasked with assessing infrastructure concerns and the potential impact to the economy and the environment, plans to meet again in two weeks. Denver may eventually have to compete with several other U.S. cities, including Reno-Lake Tahoe, Nev., Salt Lake City and Lake Placid, N.Y.

The U.S. Olympic Committee hasn’t yet determined whether it will recommend a U.S. city to host the 2022 games. The International Olympic Committee will choose a host city in 2015.

If you need Vail Transportation, Beaver Creek Transportation, or Aspen Transportation services call B-LineXpress at 1-800-423-0929 or visit us on the web at www.aspenvaillimo.com

B-LineXpress
800-423-0929 (toll free)
www.aspenvaillimo.com
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Food & Wine Weekend – January 26-28
Satisfy your desire for great food, wine and skiing in Beaver Creek. We have teamed up with the leading epicurean brand, FOOD & WINE to provide a three-day winter culinary celebration on the slopes. Book by January 15th!

Terrain Update – More Acres Now Open!
We are pleased to announce that Beaver Creek currently has 1325 acres open and all 25 lifts are running. Areas open include Rose Bowl, Bachelor Gulch, Larkspur Bowl, Arrowhead and our terrain parks!

Ski Free Stay Free
It’s our best lodging and lift ticket deal of the year – get a free day of skiing and night of lodging. Get your winter vacation booked today!
Can’t wait.

EpicMix Scavenger Hunt – Just 3 Days Away!
Beaver Creek’s EpicMix Scavenger Hunt is a one-of-a-kind mountain event that combines elements of a traditional scavenger hunt with the power of EpicMix and EpicMix Photo for a fun, interactive experience!
Sounds like fun.

If you need Vail Transportation, Beaver Creek Transportation, or Aspen Transportation services call B-LineXpress at 1-800-423-0929 or visit us on the web at www.aspenvaillimo.com

B-LineXpress
800-423-0929 (toll free)
www.aspenvaillimo.com
info@aspenvaillimo.com

By ERIC WILLEMSEN 01/ 2/12 03:59 PM ET

ZAGREB, Croatia — Mikaela Shiffrin suddenly faces an aspect of skiing altogether new to her – handling pressure.

The 16-year-old American had a remarkable third-place finish in a World Cup slalom last week. In only her eighth race on the circuit, Shiffrin was even faster than idol and world champion Marlies Schild in winning the second run in Lienz, Austria.

Now comes Tuesday’s night slalom on the Sljeme hill, and all the expectations.

“Mikeala has to learn to deal with that,” U.S. women’s head coach Alex Hoedlmoser said Monday. “I think she is very focused and down to earth and she knows what she’s capable of. She should just stay cool and do her thing.”

Hoedlmoser has spoken several times with Shiffrin the last few days.

“She should stay focused … and just ski like a 16-year-old,” Hoedlmoser said. “She must now look from one run to the other and not think ahead too much. Just ski up to her ability. If she does that, she can be there again.”

The race in Lienz marked only the second time Shiffrin earned World Cup points. The other came when she was eighth in Aspen, Colo., in November.

“We knew that in tough conditions, she can ski very fast as she’s very solid in her position on the skis,” Hoedlmoser said. “We know she’s definitely able to be a top-10 skier already this season. With her confidence now, she just can go out there, ski up to her best and have fun.”

Also enjoying the slalom is Shiffrin’s teammate Lindsey Vonn, who after years of struggling seems to have gained strength in the technical races as well.

“Normally I am looking forward to the speed races again this time of the year,” Vonn said. “But now, I am just really happy to race in slalom. I just feel comfortable in any race right now.”

Vonn’s last victory in slalom came three years ago in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. She has not had a top-three result in the slalom since Levi, Finland, in November 2009.

“Lindsey knows her slalom is there,” Hoedlmoser said. “She’s been training well and her mind is fresh.”

Teammate Julia Mancuso, who skied out after just a few seconds into her opening run last week, is skipping Tuesday’s slalom to prepare for this weekend’s speed events in Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria.

“Slalom is not her priority,” Hoedlmoser said. “If it’s too much traveling, she’s not going to do them. Zagreb is a little bit out of the way.”

Defending overall champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch, who trails Vonn by 286 points, has een slowed by a cold. On Monday, the German Olympic champion left training early and later skipped the public bib draw in Zagreb’s central square.

Schild won on this run last year and has been unbeatable in all four slaloms this season. Another win by the Austrian would put her within two of Swiss great Vreni Schneider’s record of 34 slalom victories. Schild also would be closing in on her fiance Benjamin Raich’s tally of 35 World Cup victories.

“I hope he will have some wins in the new year so it will be harder for me to overtake him,” Schild said.

Raich will attack the same hill during a World Cup slalom Thursday night.

If you need Vail Transportation, Beaver Creek Transportation, or Aspen Transportation services call B-LineXpress at 1-800-423-0929 or visit us on the web at www.aspenvaillimo.com

B-LineXpress
800-423-0929 (toll free)
www.aspenvaillimo.com
info@aspenvaillimo.com