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Aleyeska Resort and the Town of Girdwood, Alaska. By: Douglas Maisey Charlie Schaefer Gunnar Johnson. Local Info and Map. Small town of Girdwood and Alyeska Ski Resort Located 40 miles south of Anchorage Surrounded by the Chugach National Forest
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Aleyeska Resort and the Town of Girdwood, Alaska By: Douglas Maisey Charlie Schaefer Gunnar Johnson
Local Info and Map • Small town of Girdwood and Alyeska Ski Resort • Located 40 miles south of Anchorage • Surrounded by the Chugach National Forest • Along the Turnagain Arm which connects with the Golf of Alaska • 2000 year round occupants
Attractions • Winter • Skiing /Heli skiing/ Cat Skiing • Xc skiing • Dog sledding • Chugach National forest • Snow shoeing • Spa • Sight Seeing • Glacier Hikes • Snowmobiling • Summer • Hiking • Mountain Biking • Sea Kayaking • River Rafting • Paragliding • Jet boat tours • Horse back riding
Accommodations • Hotel Alyeska- Only hotel • 304 rooms, the main bed base in Girdwood • Mainly expensive lodging -$150-$220 for 2 adults. • Only a few other accommodation options: • Bed and Breakfasts • Salt Water Lodge
Food + Services • Alyeska Resort has 7 dining options: • Seven Glaciers, Tramway Café, Sakura and Sushi bar, Sitzmark Bar and Grill, The Pond Café, The Day Lodge, Aurora Bar and Grill. ( all within the confines of the Resort) • Very few dining, shopping, and nightlife options in Girdwood • Small Grocery Store- Crow Creek Mercantile (run by Safeway- money leaves the town) • The Chair Five Restaurant and Bar • No shopping -must drive to Anchorage
Transportation • Girdwood Airport for private use • Not pedestrian friendly- no sidewalks • About the only way to get to Girdwood from Anchorage is by car • There is a train from Seward to Anchorage but does not stop there. • Glacier Valley Transit • Year-round transportation system in Girdwood • Transports skiers and locals for free
Current Sustainable Practices • Limited • In town transport- Glacier Valley Transit • Limited infrastructure due to National Forest • Land Preservation due to Chugach National Forest • Potential Year Round Attractions • Looking at possible Renewable energy (UAA) • Wind • Solar
Problems • Girdwood vs. Alyeska Resort (Conflict) • Limited night life (but a lot of night) • No bed base options and prices • Limited Grocery Options • No Shopping within town • No Transportation from Girdwood to Anchorage • Few Sustainable Practices
Our Goals • Increased sustainable practices • Environmental, Cultural,Economical • Advance year round market • Maintain residence sense of place while adding to the overall feel of the town • Monitor and enhance interactions between tourists and locals • Improved transportation • Involve all major stakeholder in planning process
Increased Sustainable Practices • Envionmental • Incorporate ecolodge principles into community buildings. • Limited power usage • Local building material • Waste management system (Whole Systems thinking) • living machines in Hotel Alyeska • Cultural • Involve all major stakeholder in planning process • Girdwood chamber of commerce • Town meetings • Presoerves “sense of place” • Economical • Create a four season destination • Decrease leakage through locally owned business
Advance Year Round Market • Create a four-season destination • Increase town employment and quality of jobs • Add more locally owned businesses to prevent leakage • Tourism growth should increase direct, indirect, and induced impacts. • Increase Bed Base • Increase hotel availability for all price ranges • Create an eco-friendly locally run youth-hostel • Make local attractions readily available to tourists • Increased marketing to allocentric tourists
Maintain residence sense of place • Add to the overall feel of the town • Improve on school, hospital, town center, and grocery store for community in a sustainable way • Create nightlife scene in town with near by accommodations for quick access. • http://maps.google.com/ • Maintain small infrastructure and natural Chugach National Forest setting • Monitor and enhance interactions between tourists and locals • Local pride of town and resort • Maintain the current hospitality of the locals
New and Improved Transportation • Create a train stop at Girdwood for the Seward- Anchorage train line. • Create a Bus line from Girdwood to Anchorage • Bimodal station with train and ski bus. • Continue Glacier Valley Transit Bus lines in Girdwood • Increase sidewalk/bikeway infrastructure in town • Create a bike share program in town
Sustainable Design • Incorporate eco-lodge principles into design. • Whole systems thinking incorporated into local businesses- John Todd Living Machine • Geothermal heating in Alyeska resort • LEED Certified hotel • Eco-Friendly locally run youth hostel • Use local Building Materials • Renewable energy • Turnagain arm water turbines