Opinion: Vail turning South Tahoe into company town

To the publisher,

Based on Vail’s commercial moves in town, i.e. buying a vacation home rental property and soon I surmise we have an octopus in our midst with tentacles reaching to put a lock on the business community to be the big shot around town.

[Mayor] Hal Cole, bless his heart, once upon a time said he didn’t want South Lake Tahoe to be another Vail or Aspen. Well, head’s up Mr. Cole. It seems we are doomed to be a company town divvied up between the likes of Marriott and Vail. The bottom line is this – when profits roll into these organizations the money will fly out of town. We’re in the money export business. In the process, small business will be driven out. Also, judging by recent events, Vail’s tentacle reach into city government.

Finally, these are events, trends, and conditions. Using the above to judge the direction commerce is going in town, be prepared for the octopus to squirt loads of ink around here.

Bill Crawford, South Lake Tahoe