Somewhere in the middle of Europe sits a young couple huddled in their parkas trying to warm up with a mixture of coffee and Irish whiskey. Their mouths are downturned as they discuss what their next big vacation will entail.
They sip their mixture of coffee and alcohol as if it’s the last time they will ever taste either. The young woman looks at the couple’s newly acquired tickets for the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, shakes her head and wonders aloud if it was such a good idea to spend so much money to party in a city that falls asleep at 1 a.m.
This setting is exactly what worries many Utah politicians, decision makers and Olympic boosters.
Utah’s reputation, a strong mixture of religious domination and conservatism, may keep those rich Europeans from coming over for a visit and leaving a few thousand behind.
Reporters from all over the globe have already started writing stories about Utah’s dull nightlife, homogenous culture and sterile way of living.
The Irish Times said: “Winter is going to be one big drag.”
The majority in the state have absolutely no problem with this, nor should they, but for those who are poring over the budget during this economic skid the Olympics is the only conceivable bail-out.
The state needs tourists, and many tourists are turned off by odd liquor laws and the perception that Salt Lake is downright boring.
To counteract these views, a small but growing market has emerged centered around showing out-of-towners the few nuggets of nightlife that flourish downtown.
Bill Kerig just published “Utah Underground Guide to Real Fun,” targeted specifically for those who are not interested in spending their whole vacation at Temple Square.
The guide contains a list featuring best of’s which include:
Best romantic getaway?a cabin at Sundance Resort;
Best beer bar?Huntsville’s Shooting Star Saloon;
And best entertainment value? Stingers baseball games.
OK, as a life-long Utahn, I have never had a Sundance romantic getaway, I don’t think I have ever been in Huntsville, and as for the Stingers games, without the beer and peanuts, I would probably fall asleep.
But hey, if that’s your thing, don’t let me stop you.
Kerig will probably sell thousands of copies of his guide, whether it will help that European dying for a little late-night fun or not is totally in question.
An out-of-towner’s best bet is to take a quick trip to the City and County Building where Rocky Anderson keeps shop.
Our mayor is the antithesis of the stale image most of the outside world holds of Utah’s capital. And he now leads a public crusade to show the world that this City of Salt can party?it just takes a little extra effort.
Utah needs Anderson?a man who looks like he would fit the conservative model, with his neatly cropped gray hair, wire rimmed glasses and business attire?for the sole fact that he isn’t conservative.
He can single-handedly break down one-sided public perception, lure hesitant tourists and keep the conservatives in the state Legislature from having to make drastic budget cuts.
Many lawmakers would hate to admit it, but Anderson might end up saving the day, for the sole fact that he proves a flaming liberal can flourish in one of the most conservative states in the union.
How many other mayors in Utah have tried to loosen the liquor laws, battle to keep dance clubs open all night and led the gay-rights parade?
Many dislike Anderson’s politics, but no one can say he doesn’t take a stand on issues he feels strongly about.
One of those issues is the image of the city he leads.
Recently, Anderson took a bus load of journalists out on the town just to prove that one can find a tall cold one and dance with friends until the wee hours.
Anderson envisions a downtown that hops with its own vibrant mix of restaurants and entertainment. He wants to create a desired destination out of the oddity that is Salt Lake. But before that happens, he just wants the world to stop calling his home turf boring.
He took this pack of journalists on a whirlwind tour that started with dinner at the Cactus Cafe up Emigration Canyon and ended with pancakes and coffee at the downtown Orbit Cafe.
In between, he showed these skeptics Green Street, The New Yorker, Port O’ Call, Club Manhattan and Club Axis. Oh yeah, in the middle of it all, he donned tights and danced in the opening performance of Carmen at the Utah Opera Company.
Whether Anderson’s personal 7 hour tour changed any minds or not, it sure made headlines.
The Baltimore Sun ran a lengthy story under the headline “Not Quite Sin City: Salt Lake City Mayor Puts Out an Olympic Effort to Promote His Town as a Place That Doesn’t Sleep.”
The story documented the trip and included the line, “It almost reminds you of?SATURDAY NIGHT IN A BIG CITY!”
Surely Anderson grinned at that. The headlines were just another blow to a sleepy-town image that many state lawmakers would like to keep?just after the Games conclude, the budget is back on track, and our rich European couple spends their last dime on Olympic souvenirs for the whole family.
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