Aspen greets World Cup with great community spirit. Festivities and community pride permeate the town and provide a backdrop for locals and out of town spectators to enjoy. This irrepressible sense of élan in Aspen is directly attributable to the local sponsors who help underwrite the events surrounding the race with their contributions.

According to Jayne Poss, event manager of the World Cup Organizing Committee, a wide cross-section of the Aspen business community stepped up to the plate to support the many components of the event. Lodges, real estate companies, construction firms, attorneys, architects, banks, retail shops, property management services, the Chamber Resort Association, City Hall and other services rallied with their pocketbooks for the Women’s World Cup 2000. These local sponsors’ contributions underwrite the award ceremonies, fireworks, the White Carnival, après-salsa street party, flag and banner decorations along Main Street, music and all the festivities that bring out the strong celebratory mood of Aspen.

"The bottom line is that this event benefits us all, directly and indirectly, and we should regard it as an investment," said Poss, quoting a business contributor. "It’s an investment in our community and in our future as a winter resort destination. The Aspen Winternational combines our rich skiing heritage with tremendous international exposure"

Media exposure to an estimated 35 million television viewers worldwide is the most visible dividend of World Cup ski racing in Aspen. The event communicates the message that Aspen/Snowmass is "open for business" for the winter season.

And what a way to start the 2000-2001 ski season. The World Cup is a morale booster. It elevates skiing to its highest level as world class competitors congregate in Aspen to test themselves against the most challenging race courses on the circuit. Spectators, whether watching from the course, from the new finish-area seating or viewing the race on national and international television, will remember Aspen for the contagious excitement the race generates.

This year’s races also help position Aspen strategically as a preview to the 2002 Olympics, complete with all the media attention that will surely accompany the biggest winter sports event for the 2001-2002 season.

Chris Nolen, President and CEO of the Aspen Chamber Resort Association said her organization immediately saw the importance of World Cup and opened its coffers. "The mission of the chamber is to make certain that local businesses remain economically viable, attract visitors to the resort, and act as a good community partner," said Nolen. "We very clearly saw that this was the type of sponsorship that would fire on all of those cylinders."

Art Daily, an attorney with the Aspen law firm Holland & Hart, said his firm’s contribution is rooted in Aspen’s rich skiing tradition. "We feel strongly about skiing and its close connection to our professional and personal lives," said Daily. "Holland & Hart originally came to Aspen in 1965 primarily to serve the legal needs of the Aspen Skiing Company, and we continue to have a significant relationship with the ski industry and skiing. Summer is becoming an important season, but winter sports and recreation put Aspen on the map and will continue to keep visitors coming to town. We like the opportunity to show the world once again the beauty of our high, shining mountains."

Bill Harriman of Harriman Construction is a veteran of World Cup ski racing in Aspen. "I’ve supported ski racing all my life," he explained. "I coached the ski team for ten years and I worked on World Cup for six years. Aspen is a ski town and World Cup brings an energy level that is great for this entire Valley. It gets people focused on what’s going on. It’s good to have it early in the season because it gets people excited about the winter."