YES to ERS !

I recently came across the photo above that I took the day we moved into our home at The Terrace in May of 1997.  I hope everyone enjoying their lives and all the amenities at Eagle Ranch, that are now opposed to ERS take a close look at this photo.  Beyond the rooftops of The Terrace you may just see beautiful, pristine land where your house likely sits now. It was sure a nice view before all that building but I was fine with it because I could envision all the beautiful parks, playgrounds, bike paths, the movie theater and restaurants and like you, I now enjoy it all.  Keep in mind that ERS will be next to I-70 and not in a more pristine place such as the Brush Creek Valley where Eagle Ranch now sits. One way or another something will be built there because it’s been zoned for that for a very long time and I’d rather see one company with a solid plan and consistent infrastructure (like Eagle Ranch) than a dozen developers with their own vision and a potential hodge podge of buildings.  Imagine if that had happened at Eagle Ranch.  It just wouldn’t be the same. Please vote smart - VOTE YES for ERS.

Below is my Letter to the Editor published in The Vail Daily May 19th, 2012

Let me preface this by stating that I am in no way affiliated with RED Development or Eagle River Station. I have however lived in the area for 40 years and know that the time is NOW for this project to get approved.  I have based my decision to vote yes on solid facts and common sense. I am in total support of ERS and after its up and running I will still shop at The Everything Store and other local businesses and my family will continue to dine at existing Eagle area restaurants. I know I'm not alone when I say that after shopping at Target or other stores at Glenwood Meadows I more often than not end up patronizing one or more of the other businesses or restaurants in town and the same thing will happen in Eagle, giving a much needed boost to the businesses in town and Eagle Ranch.  Paradigms Restaurant and many other businesses from all over Eagle support ERS for good reason. They know what's in it for them.

After growing up in Vail, then living in Eagle-Vail and Bellyache Ridge in Wolcott my family settled in Eagle in 1997 because of the energetic and youthful enthusiasm that convinced us that this is a town with a great vision and future.  Unfortunately a handful of people have managed to destroy all that momentum and after defeating ERS in the last election never came through with all the promised reasonable alternatives to bringing in the capital the town so desperately needs.  I had always imagined that it would be Gypsum that would forever be stuck in the past when instead they are the ones thriving and improving nearly all their public spaces and roads, even in a down economy and I think you can figure out why. I applaud them for their foresight!

The twisted facts and flat out lies being thrown around once again by the ERS opposition are really hard to swallow.  Please don’t be brainwashed by this handful of opponents who hoodwinked so many the last time around. Don’t get sucked into it all again because desperation breeds ignorance and they are in eleventh hour overdrive with their spin committee. I ask you to please read through the unaffiliated ERS websites that support this important project for up to date answers and corrections to all the false statements.

Lets not repeat the embarrassment of the last election,...and by that I mean that I was actually seriously embarrassed that so many people voted no without really knowing why. Luckily many of them have changed their position and support ERS this time around because they have studied the proposal more thoroughly and realized they were duped into a no vote last time, mostly with those promises of great alternative ways to bring in all the money the town needs, none of which ever saw the light of day. I'm sorry but a few bike races here and there are nice and I'm all for such events but that's not what's gonna create jobs or generate anywhere near the money that we need. Please vote smart and get us back on track.
                                                                                          Vote YES on May 22nd.

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