Winter Storm Hurts Economy in Wyoming Resort Region
JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Stormy winter weather downed 17 power poles near a Wyoming resort region, causing residents and visitors to abandoned several hotels and hundreds of homes.
The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce estimates that 1,500 rentable units were deserted last week, including all eight hotels in Teton Village.
The Teton Village Association says the power outage cost local businesses more than $5 million in lost revenue and inventory, $2.5 million of which came from the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, which closed for five days.
Association director Melissa Turley says the financial laws will have a statewide impact because of government funding shortages. Revenues from coal, oil and gas extraction have continued their decline, so tourism has become a more significant part of the Wyoming economy.