I’m writing this letter to the editor with a heavy heart regarding the post ski patrol strike at Park City over the busiest time of year. As a full-time resident of Park City since 2017, and homeowner since 2011, I have lived through the ownership transition from Canyons to Talisker to Vail Resorts and then Park City to Vail Resorts afterward. I am not saying this as an outsider to these events, but as an actual four-year past employee of Park City Mountain Resort.  At first, the initial invesment by Vail Resorts was a positive step, combining both mountains to make one exceptionally large mountain. This new large mountain, all under the Epic Pass, was a great boon for not just us locals, but for the general skier population as well. As Vail Resorts integrated their management into Park City Mountain, they preached slogans and platitudes about how they treat employees, guests and especially the local community.  As time has gone by since the takeover by Vail Resorts, one thing has become clear that the values of people who live here are quite different from the values that Vail Resorts half-heartedly originally suggested. Every company has their own right to create a culture and philosophy that they instill upon their work force, as Vail Resorts has done here in Park City, but when that management style conflicts with what the residents of Park City expect from a business partner, something has to give. What we have all learned is that Vail Resorts sure talks the talk but can’t walk the walk when it comes to being a valued partner to the local community and especially its employees. When Vail Resorts speaks about “An Experience of a Lifetime,” who are they referring to? Obviously not the local employees, guests, or businesses in town, but they are referring to Vail Resorts management, especially accountants in Broomfield, who obviously make all the major decisions. When the president of Vail Resorts makes $6 million-plus in total compensation, one year makes their year, a “Compensation of a Lifetime.” When Vail Resorts sullies the name of Park City due to their overall poor management and unacceptable negotiating tactics, who suffers? The residents and the local businesses endure the fallout due to a decrease in future bookings and less overall business due to our town’s tarnished reputation.  With national media coverage of the ski patrol strike, it is easy to predict that the guests who were at Park City Mountain over Christmas and New Years will never come back. In addition, how would you expect them to talk to their friends and co-workers about their “Disaster of a Lifetime” waiting in line for hours, skiing five runs in a week with only 20 percent of the mountain open? In life as well business, you “can’t” do something or you “won’t” do something. Vail Resorts chose “won’t.”  I owned a business for 23 years and our business philosophy was “do what’s right!”  How Vail Resorts espouses “Do Good” as one of their foundational values is incomprehensible. Could any local, guest or employee say what they did over the holidays as “Doing Good?”   The only plausible solution to resolve these issues and rebuild the Park City brand would be for Vail Resorts to divest Park City Mountain to a new owner who is a true and valued business partner to their community and an employer who actually values their employees and guests.  Harlan Podber KamasThe post Time to sell resort?  appeared first on Park Record.