Steamboat Springs and “The Long Arm of the Law”

Kelly Bastone’s “The Long Arm of the Law,” which takes a look at increased security measures at Colorado ski resorts, has been getting quite a bit of attention. In addition to numerous blog mentions, the article was the focus of an editorial in Friday’s Denver Post. That, in turn, prompted a response from the Steamboat Springs ski resort, in the form of a Letter to the Editor at the Post.

The good folks at the Post are fully capable of defending themselves, however I do have to respond to Steamboat’s comments regardng 5280.

Steamboat’s claim that searches at the ski area are conducted only two days per year is simply not true. Our writer, who is a regular skier at Steamboat, has been searched on numerous other occasions, as have other readers who have contacted us. Our article never suggested searches are an everyday occurrence, but it is also beyond dispute that they are conducted on more than two days.

It’s surprising that Steamboat is now trying to deny the very same policies it spoke proudly of in our article. The resort’s Vice President of Operations, the man in charge of running the resort on a day-to-day basis, told 5280 that Steamboat’s increased security — which includes pat-downs, gondola searches, and armed security on the mountain — “shows that we mean business,” and helps maintain its reputation as a “family resort.”

If Steamboat has issues with 5280, we wish they would have had the courtesy to contact us directly. In any case, we absolutely stand behind the accuracy of our article.