www.slenterprise.com November 27, 2017 Volume 47, Number 18 $1.50 OF NOTE $50 million grant paves way for Provo med school Utah is going to have another medical school — its third — according to an an- Storms good for Walmart nouncement last week from Wasatch Edu- cational, owner of Provo’s Rocky Moun- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported bet- tain University of Health Professions ter-than-expected U.S. third-quar- (RMUoHP). Scheduled to open to its fi rst ter sales last week, as custom- class of 150 students in August 2021, the ers stocked up on food and other institution will be named Noorda College supplies ahead of hurricanes and The Utah Offi ce of Tourism has undertaken a new strategy that aims to boost the quality of tour- of Osteopathic Medicine (NCOM). The ism visits to the state rather than the quantity. The plan calls for tourists to extend their stays school will enroll 150 students per year for online purchases soared, sending by getting off of buses and into rental cars and local business such Ruby's Inn at Bryce Canyon the fi rst four years and 175 each year there- its shares up more than 8.5 per- National Park (pictured). after, according to a release from Wasatch cent. The sales were the retailer's Educational. strongest since 2009. Named after the Ray and Tye Noorda Foundation, which has committed $50 mil- 'Red Emerald' initiative aims to lion toward the project, the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine will be an osteo- pathic medical and research school offer- • Sports Medicine Facilities give tourists 'quality experience' ing a curriculum and medical technology page 10 focused on preparing physicians who will fi ned, high-quality experience,” Vicki Va- provide healthcare services, including pre- Brice Wallace • Health Insurance Companies rela, managing director of tourism, fi lm and ventative care. The Enterprise page 11 global branding, told the Governor’s Offi ce The Noorda donation, along with a sig- of Economic Development (GOED) board nifi cant commitment from the Wasatch Ed- With Utah’s national parks bulging • Commercial Insurance Agencies at a recent meeting. ucational and other unnamed donors, will with visitors — to the point that reserva- page 12 The initiative was introduced at a Utah provide most of the funds needed for con- tions are being considered — the Utah Of- tourism conference this fall. Details are struction and operation of the Noorda Col- fi ce of Tourism has undertaken a strategy • Employee Benefits Brokers now posted at the offi ce’s website, https:// lege of Osteopathic Medicine, the press to boost the quality of visits rather than the page 14 travel.utah.gov/. The principles listed there statement said. quantity. are designed to be a guiding document for “We are honored to partner with the Called “Red Emerald,” the strategy • Vision Centers the tourism offi ce in prioritizing its promo- Noorda Foundation and our other partners looks to create Utah travel experiences that page 15 tional and product development efforts. to bring Noorda College of Osteopathic are special. The name comes from the red Varela noted that Utah has had “wild Medicine to Utah County,” said Dr. Mi- emerald, also known as red beryl, a prized success” in increasing overall visitation chael Skurja, president of Wasatch Edu- gemstone found in any substantial size only to its fi ve national parks, bolstered by the cational. “We believe the medical school in Utah. “Mighty 5” campaign, and that Red Emer- will inspire and motivate local students to “We named this new initiative ‘Red Emerald’ because that’s what we want the Utah tourism experience to be: a rare, re- see EMERALD page 4 see MED SCHOOL page 13 Utah consumer prices dip for fi rst time this year For the fi rst time since January, pric- within the state is still up 3.3 percentfrom month, housing prices have decreased 1.5 es along the Wasatch Front took a small this time last year. percent statewide. According to historical step backward in October. The Zions Bank Meanwhile, the national Consum- Wasatch Front Consumer Price Index data, Wasatch Front Consumer Price Index (CPI) er Price Index decreased 0.1 percent from overall housing prices typically fall dur- decreased 0.4 percent from September to September to October and has increased 2.0 ing the month of October, as demand for October due mainly to seasonal changes in percent since October 2016. housing and hotel rooms decreases signifi - demand for apartment rentals and hotels and Much of October’s cost-of-living de- motels. Although the index has decreased crease can be explained by seasonal de- see CPI page 12 slightly since September, the cost of living creases in demand for rentals. Month-over- 2 • Nov. 27-Dec. 3, 2017 • The Enterprise - Utah's Business Journal Utah ski industry looks to enjoy third straight record season vember is hand-wringing month, people wanting to do business in in either 2026 or 2030. Valley Resort, Park City Moun- Brice Wallace especially if you’re in the ski Utah,” he said. “Our ski industry “Either way, Utah’s ski indus- tain, Snowbasin Resort and Snow- The Enterprise business. … We started a little bit has been on a tear — two record try is highly supportive of pursu- bird Resort. late last year, but I’ll remind you years of this being the place to be ing these Games,” he said. “We Upcoming openings will be Pardon the pun, but Utah’s that we ended up having a great, — so we’ve seen a lot of attention, saw a lot of great infrastructure Dec. 2 at Deer Valley Resort and ski resorts have been on a run. great ski season, with Brighton and I think it’s just going to bring improvements [and] we saw a big Solitude Mountain; Dec. 8 at Sun- And they want to see it con- kind of topping the charts at 633 a spotlight and some more atten- bump in skier-days for several dance Mountain Resort, Dec. 9 at tinue. Coming off two record sea- inches on the year and 200 inch- tion to our state, so, good things years after the Games in 2002, and Nordic Valley Resort, Dec. 18 at sons, the state’s resorts are hoping es of snow in the month of Janu- for our industry.” we’d be looking for the same after Cherry Peak Resort, and Dec. 21 that 2017-18 is a repeat. ary. We are excited, and there’s Looking at the longer term, the Games hopefully coming up.” at Eagle Point Resort. Opening “Last year was an all-time nobody more anxious than the he also said the industry would Among the Utah resorts al- dates for Beaver Mountain, Brian record,” Nathan Rafferty, Ski people in this room to get out back a potential bid for Utah to ready open for the season are Alta Head Resort and Powder Moun- Utah’s president, said at a recent and go skiing.” host the Olympic Winter Games Ski Area, Brighton Resort, Deer tain have not been set. season kickoff news conference. The industry has been in- “The season before that was an volved in marketing in Califor- all-time record as well. We’re nia, Texas, New York, Australia, crossing our fi ngers and looking the United Kingdom and France, forward to what we hope to be a while the Utah Offi ce of Tour- Merit Medical buys two BD product lines third record season in a row. ism has been running ads in Los Utah medical technology gi- wide along with a sales force of under its revolving credit facility. “We have a ton of momen- Angeles and New York. Utah’s ant Merit Medical Systems Inc. 290. It is based in South Jordan Merit’s management expects the tum. That’s always important in tourist attractions generate near- has agreed to buy two product and has plants in Pearland, Tex- acquisition to provide incremen- our industry. Skiers have short ly $8.2 billion annually in visitor lines from Becton, Dickinson & as; Richmond, Virginia; Malvern, tal annual revenues in the range of memories, and what they re- spending, including a $1.4 bil- Co., which operates under the Pennsylvania; Rockland, Mas- $42 million to $48 million. member of last season was pretty lion impact from the ski industry. trademark BD, for a reported cost sachusetts; San Jose, Califor- “We believe this is a perfect darned good. There was a lot of “That is important because of $100 million. BD proposed the nia; Maastricht and Venlo, The fi t for Merit,” said Merit’s chair- good skiing. So, momentum is on we use that funding,” Rafferty sale of the assets in conjunction Netherlands; Paris, France; Gal- man and CEO, Fred P. Lampro- our side, for sure.” said. “Tourism-related tax rev- with its acquisition of C.R. Bard way, Ireland; Beijing, China; Ti- poulos. “These products are well The Utah industry last season enue helps pave our roads, edu- Inc. and Merit has agreed to the juana, Mexico; Joinville, Brazil; established with an installed base had nearly 4.6 million skier days cate our kids. Over a billion dol- sale subject to BD closing the Markham, Ontario, Canada; Mel- and complement Merit’s CorVo- (defi ned as one person visiting a lars in local and state taxes come deal with Bard. The fi nal sales bourne, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; cet Full Core Biopsy System and ski area for all or any part of a day into the state because of tour- price is subject to adjustment for and Yishun, Singapore.