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        <CreateTime Title="2008-04-10 15:01:49 EDT">1207854109232</CreateTime>
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        <Name>The EPIC Ski Pass is now a Reality- Only $579</Name>
        <Summary>Unlimited Access to Riding and Skiing at Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Vail and Beaver Creek</Summary>
        <Description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;font size="4"&gt;The &lt;a href="http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20080319/NEWS/762782853&amp;SearchID=73314249122918" title="Summit Daily News Article"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;newspaper&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; came across my desk almost three weeks ago, and the front-page article indicates that Vail has offered the &lt;a href="http://www.snow.com/epicpass/home.asp?CMP=KNC-Google&amp;HBX_PK=Epic%20ski%20pass&amp;HBX_OU=50&amp;gclid=CNqiqsGX0ZICFQ4JPQod5jGWUA"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Epic Pass&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; for the 08-09 season.&amp;nbsp; I almost do not believe it, just as I don't believe there is a snowstorm howling outside the SnowHome Properties Office dropping inches on snow on what should be a calm April day.&amp;nbsp; The Epic Pass&amp;nbsp;gives anyone who signs up for it unlimited and unrestricted access to all 5 Colorado mountain resorts- Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin and Keystone - and also Heavenly.&amp;nbsp; You have until November 15th to get yours.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;font size="4"&gt;This move by Vail, offering a pass that is cheaper than the Vail season pass but comes with all it's benefits, stirred a conversation with a local graphic artist.&amp;nbsp; From my understanding, before the Epic pass, merchants had to join a business association in order to get their employees a discounted Vail season pass.&amp;nbsp; &lt;a href="http://www.vailvalleypartnership.com/general.asp?id=26"&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Vail Valley Partnership&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;is&amp;nbsp;an example, but each major town in Eagle County has&amp;nbsp;one.&amp;nbsp; The business owner used to pay to join and a season pass dropped from&amp;nbsp;$1,849 to&amp;nbsp;$869 for the 07-08 season.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;The fees to join are steep, but as a bonus, you are required to help fund&amp;nbsp;an advertisement magazine to show your product and promote local business.&amp;nbsp; Unfortunately, Vail decided to have an out of state&amp;nbsp; graphic artist and printer take on this project, which doesn't help or promote local business.&amp;nbsp; Now with the discounted Epic pass, employers will no longer need to retain membership in the business associations to get the discount on the pass.&amp;nbsp; If they don't want to pay Vail's fees for advertising and printing, they can&amp;nbsp;spend those advertising dollars with local printers and graphic designers.&amp;nbsp; The Epic pass is a pleasant switch from Vail after steady increases in season pass prices over the past few seasons. &lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;font size="4"&gt;Vail will still offer the Summit Pass, formerly the Buddy Pass, which gives the rider unlimited Keystone, Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin&amp;nbsp;for $399 and the Colorado Pass- KAB and 10 days at Vail and Beaver Creek with black out dates for the busy weeks for $439. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;font size="4"&gt;Pray for great snow next year.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt; &lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;font size="4"&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;font size="4"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</Description>
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                 <Keyword>Arapahoe Basin</Keyword>

                 <Keyword>Breckenridge</Keyword>

                 <Keyword>Epic Pass</Keyword>

                 <Keyword>Keystone</Keyword>

                 <Keyword>Season Pass</Keyword>

                 <Keyword>Ski passes</Keyword>

                 <Keyword>Unlimited</Keyword>

                 <Keyword>unrestricted.</Keyword>

                 <Keyword>Vail</Keyword>

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                  <Title>Epic Pass newspaper article</Title>

                  <Synopsis>Summit Daily News article on Vail's newest season pass</Synopsis>

                  <URL>http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20080319/NEWS/762782853&amp;SearchID=73314249122918</URL>

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                  <Title>Epic Pass</Title>

                  <Synopsis>Official site that shows the pricing and terms of Vail's new Epic Pass</Synopsis>

                  <URL>http://www.snow.com/epicpass/home.asp?CMP=KNC-Google&amp;HBX_PK=Epic%20ski%20pass&amp;HBX_OU=50&amp;gclid=CNqiqsGX0ZICFQ4JPQod5jGWUA</URL>

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                  <Title>Vail Valley Partnership</Title>

                  <Synopsis>A vail valley business Association that offers promotion, local collaborative advertising and a discounted season pass</Synopsis>

                  <URL>http://www.vailvalleypartnership.com/general.asp?id=8</URL>

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