With a history of glamor and a unique atmosphere, Sun Valley Resort has been deemed the ‘unoffi cial pro skating capital of the world’
by KAMA KORVELA by KAMA KORVELA Valley.”
“T ere’s just something magical about Sun As a professional skater, coach and perform-
er, Craig Heath has skated all over the world — and yet he’s never found another place like the outdoor rink at the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Val- ley, Idaho. “It motivates people to skate,” he said. “I
have never seen a rink so beautiful.” T ough the town is nestled in the mountains and hills of south-central Idaho, the sun shines 250 days out of the year, creating a picture-perfect wonderland for fi gure skaters. But even brighter than the sun is the star-studded history of the Sun Valley Resort. T e magic Heath speaks of is no coincidence — it’s a combination of top-notch skating, Hollywood glamor and a picturesque set- ting.
Since the 1930s, the outdoor rink at the Sun
Valley Resort has featured performances from the greatest fi gure skaters of all time, as well as up- and-coming talent. T e rink is one of the few out- door rinks in the world that operates year-round. In addition, the “American Shangri-La,” as it is fondly referred to, includes skiing, golf, shopping and dining. Sun Valley’s story begins in 1935, when
W. Averell Harriman, the chairman of Union Pacifi c Railroad, began searching for a town in which to build an American winter resort. Har- riman hoped that a tourist destination would in- crease ticket sales for his railroad. To assist in his search, Harriman hired Count Felix Schaff gotsch, an Austrian from one of Europe’s most noble fam- ilies.
“It’s my understanding that he (Harriman)
was looking for the most European-style place to open a resort, and Sun Valley had perfect moun- tains,” Heath said. T ough Sun Valley was beautiful and had
great geography, there needed to be another rea- son for tourists to visit. Harriman worked with
16 NOVEMBER 2014
‘Something magical’
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