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Rigney: Let the Games begin … 

John Rigney
Guest Commentary
John Rigney.
Courtesy photo

This coming weekend, Aspen Snowmass welcomes the best in the world back to town. And this winter, they’ll be coming back again and again.  

We have an action-packed lineup of snowboarding and freeskiing events playing out over the next six weeks at Buttermilk that will be as head-spinning as the tricks these athletes routinely lay down. X Games, US Ski & Snowboard Grand Prix, RevTour, and The Snow League are all in the queue. 

It’s amazing how this community always rallies together as exemplary hosts. These are great platforms to showcase Aspen Snowmass at its very best to our guests, neighbors, and the broader world.  



We’re playing long ball by investing in these events, creating excitement, and celebrating the heroes of the sport, while also building a bridge to future generations of skiers and riders and keeping our pipeline fresh. And why do the athletes love coming back? Because this place is truly incredible.

Of course, it helps that Buttermilk is the perfect venue: a beautiful juxtaposition where kids first learn the sport, then return to push it to new unimagined levels. We build the best and most innovative courses and features to keep the sport progressing, but it’s also about the complete experience of being here, both on and off snow. As a community, we are trailblazers when it comes to events — it’s hard to imagine a richer cultural landscape than what Aspen has to offer. Celebrating athletic achievement is a priority for us, built on the dedication, innovation, and commitment of our team members, a group widely recognized as best-in-class.   




As we look to the future, Aspen Snowmass is in an excellent spot. The Grand Prix takes on an even greater importance next year, as it will be the final qualifier for the Olympics — and, importantly, the freeskiing and snowboarding team for the Cortina Olympics will be announced right here.

How cool will it be to honor all of these athletes, including some of our very own local superstars and AVSC alumni? The RevTour (aka The Aspen Snowmass Open) will return, as will The Snow League. And that doesn’t even cover the dozens of other beloved events celebrating uphilling and skimo, snowboarding, alpine racing, and music and community gatherings that we all enjoy.  

With X Games this coming weekend, we plan to once again put on a stellar show for athletes, attendees, and viewers alike. We’ve watched X evolve from motorcycles and snowmobiles doing backflips to the pinnacle of sports, now immensely popular in the Olympics. The progression of the event has been something to behold, especially the migration from daytime snow and motors to a full-on snowsports and music festival.

Given X Games’ recent rounds of strategic shifts in the wake of their ownership change, we don’t necessarily know what the future holds. We’re proud to have been along for an amazing ride as partners for over two decades. We signed a one-year deal with X Games for 2025 while they continue to figure out their new formula, with an option to extend for two more years. We feel strongly there is no resort partner or community that brings more to their brand than Aspen Snowmass, and we are open to continuing this partnership, so long that our interests are aligned and our partners are on board. Athletes, their support crews and sponsors, and industry brands have spoken: They all want to train, compete, and simply be in Aspen Snowmass.  

I’ll close with gratitude to my colleagues and this amazing community. The popularity of these events is a nod to you, the people who get it done. It takes a herculean lift to pull off events of this magnitude while simultaneously running a world-class resort. The events team, park crews, patrol, and entire staff at Buttermilk deserve serious appreciation for their can-do approach to any challenge — they are doing our sports and resort proud.

Similarly, there is simply no way we could do this without the support from our partners in the valley. The local lodging community, RFTA, Pitkin County and Sheriff’s Office, Aspen Ambulance, Snowmass Tourism, the Aspen Chamber, the City of Aspen, and scores of local business owners all have a collaborative hand in making these events come together. Our sincere thanks go out to all of you! 

Cheers to another year of X Games (that makes 24 X Games Aspen total!). Get out to Buttermilk, and check it out — and if you can’t make it this weekend, the stars will be out and about in Aspen Snowmass for most of the winter.  

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