Utah Gay & Lesbian Ski Week Cancelled

The backlash against the Mormon Church's support of Proposition 8 apparently has its first significant boycott victim in the form of the cancelled Utah Gay & Lesbian Ski Week. While I feel badly for the non-Mormons who will be impacted financially, I hope that the damage done as a result of the Mormon Church's interference with the civil laws in California will perhaps carry a political cost back in Utah where hopefully non-Mormons will do more to counter the theocratic efforts of the Mormon Church. The Mormons, like the Christianists have only contempt for the religious freedom of others and need to be taught a severe lesson. In my opinion, the LGBT community needs to use much more care to make sure that LGBT dollars are not spent in non-gay friendly states and counties. Here are some highlights from the Park Record:

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A group of gays had planned long ago to be on the slopes of Park City's mountain resorts last week. They had been coming each year since early in the decade, and Park City, seen for years as one of the friendliest places in Utah to gays, had been hospitable to the group But the 2009 edition of what had been dubbed Utah Gay & Lesbian Ski Week was cancelled.

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An organizer told The Park Record many of the gay skiers indicated they would not visit Utah in order to show solidarity with those who have called for a boycott of the state stemming from the passage in California of Proposition 8, the ballot measure against gay marriage supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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The cancellation of the gay ski week, which had been scheduled Jan. 7-11, is the first substantive evidence of Park City's economy suffering from the boycott. There had only been scattered concern in Park City that gays would refuse to visit. Local leaders had hoped gays and their supporters would consider Park City an open-minded enclave in Utah.

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Had the full group traveled to Park City, Harriot estimated the visitors would have spent between $125,000 and $150,000 on lodging, lift tickets, meals and entertainment. . . . The skiers had planned an evening at Kristauf's Martini Bar on lower Main Street, where owner Lisa Christoffersen said they had stopped in during the 2008 trip. She said they probably would have spent a "couple grand" at Kristauf's this year. To me, that would provide my payroll for two weeks" and pay several utility bills, she said, adding, "They spend well and they tip well. It's a big boost for everyone."

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Bill Malone, the executive director of the Park City Chamber/Bureau, said the cancellation of the ski week is the first he is aware of based on unhappiness with Proposition 8. . . . "Obviously, we hate to see groups not feel comfortable coming here as a result of the California proposition," Malone said.