The Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Joint Powers Board and the
Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce have pledged $70,000 to open Yellowstone
National Park by the traditional date.
Due to federal sequestration,
which took effect on March 1, 2013, Yellowstone National Park was forced to
plan a delayed opening for the South Gate. A delayed opening would
significantly impact the local economy in Jackson Hole and in the state of
Wyoming. A National Park Service report for 2011 showed that 3,394,326 visitors
to Yellowstone National Park spent $332,975,000 in communities surrounding the
park. This spending supported 5,041 jobs in the local area.
The Jackson Hole Chamber of
Commerce took immediate action to work with the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism
Joint Powers Board along with the Jackson Town Council and Teton County
Commission. A meeting with Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Dan Wenk
and Wyoming Governor Matt Mead resulted in a local solution to the federal
obstruction.
The Jackson Hole Chamber of
Commerce is currently working with Members and community partners to help
buy-down the investment to open Yellowstone on time and promote the news to
potential visitors who are planning summer vacations. There are three tiers of
sponsorship: Snow Shovel is $250, Snowplow is $1,000, and Snow Auger is $5,000.
Please click here to learn about
the collaborative effort. Please click here to learn more
about how businesses and individuals can help.
