I was informed that the only private Snowmass ski area restaurant, Gwyn’s High Alpine, has their lease contract end with 2020 ski season. Aspen Skiing Co. is the owner of this facility. Currently the next steps are being discussed and negotiated.
Here is my observation. Should Skico take over the management of this restaurant, Skico will have established a monopoly for themselves: All restaurants on the Snowmass ski area will be owned by one company only, Skico, and only this company will be serving the general public drinks and food. In theory, such a monopoly situation will lead to lower quality and higher prices.
During my professional career in Switzerland, I remember American professors speaking at company conferences preaching “free market economy.” An economist, I would like to see Skico take full responsibility and resist creating a monopoly for themselves here in Aspen/Snowmass.
It is the free-market economy that made the U.S. strong — a market leader.
I personally like to see Gwyn’s High Alpine managed by a third party not related to Skico.
Werner Neff
Carbondale