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Complimentary Range Rover offered with homes

Naomi HavlenAspen Times Staff Writer

Buy a townhome, get some Aspen-sized toys.As part of a special promotion, the first two buyers of units at the Maroon Estate Townhomes at Aspen Highlands will receive what’s being referred to as a “Five Star Toy Chest.” It contains a 2003 Range Rover, a pair of two-year premier ski passes to all four ski areas, a pair of two-year season golf passes at River Valley Ranch and a pair of Trek 5900 U.S. Postal Service road bikes.But wait, there’s more!The offer also comes with two $2,000 gift certificates for ski equipment from Durrance Sports and two $2,500 certificates for retail and dining in Aspen Highlands Village.The promotion was cooked up by a marketing team at Hines, the developer of Highlands Village and owner of the four still available units at Maroon Estate Townhomes.”It plays right into the lifestyle of our buyers: They’re young, active, they like to bike to the Bells, ski Highlands and get out on the town,” said David Norden, Aspen Highlands project manager. “The pieces of this program basically provide them with a really convenient way to do it from home. It’s convenient to ride to the Bells, ski at Highlands, and the units are within walking distance to the plaza, which features shops and dining.”The four townhomes range in price from $4.7 million to $6.25 million, said Michele Bernad of Aspen Land & Homes. The homes, designed by Bill Poss Architects, contain 6,100 square feet, four bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms with a two-car garage.The townhouses also come with all the privileges of the Ritz-Carlton Club nearby, including use of the slopeside pool, jacuzzi and spa. Eleven of the 15 townhomes have sold so far.”Instead of a cash bonus to a broker who sells [a unit,] they tried to come up with a program that teaches the buyer what they can enjoy if they live here,” said Bernad.Randy Tuggle at Land Rover Roaring Fork said the 2003 Range Rover has “all the bells and whistles” and normally runs about $72,000. Tuggle has been showing the Range Rover at open houses for the townhomes, which take place on Fridays, including today from 2 to 5 p.m.”We are in the selling season – a lot of people are in town, and it’s nice to catch their attention while they’re here,” Norden said of the offer. “We’ve had a lot of success with the summer programming at Highlands, like Tuesday night movies and Friday evening music. The whole key to marketing is gaining momentum. We’ve got a buzz going here, and [this offer] is a nice way to enhance that buzz and keep it rolling.”The gift certificates are meant to encourage shopping and dining in Highlands Village, he said, whereas a cash incentive would be like any other offer out there.”The difference here is that we’re lining each part of the program with a real selling aspect of Aspen Highlands,” he said. “With a brand-new bike and access to the best biking routes in the world, I walk out my door and it becomes pretty simple.”It should be noted that the broker for the sale of the first two townhouses also receives the “Five-Star Toy Chest,” but receives cash instead of the Range Rover.[Naomi Havlen’s e-mail address is nhavlen@aspentimes.com]