For nearly 90 years, some of the world’s most prominent business figures and media have been trekking to Sun Valley, an idyllic ski resort nestled on the hills of Idaho. Most famous is the location of the annual Allen & Company Conference, a gathering of tycoons for deals and networking, and the town also paints Hollywood icons, literary celebrities and adventure-seeking tourists.
Today, many guests arrive by private jets and land at the nearby Friedman Memorial Airport. But the story of Sun Valley does not start with the plane, but with the train. In the early 1930s, then chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad, W. Averell Harriman set out to transform the area, a once-lead mining town known for Lead and Silver, and was the first luxury ski resort in the United States.
Harriman was eager to create a distant and exclusive destination to increase train trips to wealthy Americans, and Harriman hired Austrian aristocrat and banker Felix von Schaffgotsch to scout potential sites. In 1936, Von Schaffgotsch discovered the Valley of the Sun. “It’s more pleasant than anywhere I’ve seen in Switzerland, Austria or the United States for a winter resort.”
Sun Valley Lodge is a four-story four-story building that opened for business a year later for $1.5 million, the history of snow and scenic trails that attract big names in the area. Hollywood stars like Clark Gable, Ingrid Bergman and Marilyn Monroe all flocked to it.
Tayt Knowles, the resort’s sales director, told Observer that the hotel’s starting price is $519, “has been at the heart of all of this from the beginning.” “The hotel’s history, along with its thoughtful modern updates, continues to attract guests who are looking for a truly unique and timeless mountain experience.”
One of the town’s most prominent fans is Ernest Hemingway, who first visited Sun Valley in 1939 and fell in love with the resort. He wrote parts of the 1940 novel The sound of the bell In Sun Valley Lodge, it offers a “Celebrity Suite” dedicated to the author and spends the last years of his life in the neighboring Ketchum.
Given its connection to one of the most popular writers in the United States, it is surprising that for three decades, Sun Valley was home to the annual Sun Valley Writers Conference, which is a popular author every July to appeal to the arena and attract thousands of attendees. Other events at the resort include retreats, company meetings and gatherings dedicated to photography, film, music and dance.
“For years, we have continued to invest in event spaces and amenities, including the recent renovation of conference facilities, accommodation and dining,” Knowles said. The resort features “state-of-the-art meeting rooms and flexible spaces that can accommodate from intimate retreats to large-scale hilltops.”
The most famous meeting in Sun Valley also happens to be the most confidential one. Since 1983, investment firm Allen & Co. has gathered tech executives, media giants and politicians to attend an exclusive summer event with private speeches and lagging meetings. While little is known about the internal functioning of the conference, it plays a role in major deals, including the purchase by Jeff Bezos Washington Posta merger of Walt Disney Company with ABC and Verizon acquisition of AOL.
Allen & Co. It is also promoted, and there is no official website. The New York-based company has been operating with families for more than a century and is currently led by Herbert Allen III.
The company’s Sun Valley conference isn’t always a hot ticket – according to Fortune, organizers had to plead for invitees to attend its inaugural edition. Now, a place on the guest list is a coveted milestone for some of the world’s wealthiest executives, including Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Rupert Murdoch.
Knowles said Sun Valley activity had a “major ripple effect” on the wider Wood Valley economy. In addition to promoting business in restaurants, shops and transportation services, they support year-round jobs and promote long-term local investment.
Resorts aren’t just about hosting events, we create moments that bring people closer, Knowles said. “In the heart of the mountain, surrounded by natural beauty and eternal charm, every party becomes even more somewhat: common stories, sparks of inspiration, lasting bonds. ”
