Salt Lake City is a place rich in natural beauty and history. With the right combination of outdoor activities and robust nightlife, it is one of the best destinations for a business event or meeting. Andy McNeill and Todd Bludworth delve into the breathtaking landscape of Salt Lake City with professional aerial skier Megan Smallhouse, a resident of Utah, and Chris Erickson, general manager of Grand America Hotel. The hosts also share first-hand experiences about the city through their top ten bucket list. Listen to this in-depth episode highlighting how Salt Lake City blends nature and urban experiences into one exciting journey.
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Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City may be one of the youngest cities in the United States, founded not long ago in 1868, but its rich history is truly mesmerizing. It offers a bit of everything to everyone, especially those looking for exciting outdoor adventure. Salt Lake City is known for its skiing and hiking parks, as well as one of the five National Parks in the country. Sitting down with an aerial skier living in Utah and the general manager of Grand America Hotel, Andy McNeill and Todd Bludworth dive even further into the beautiful Salt Lake City.
Megan Smallhouse
Professional aerial skier Megan Smallhouse of the US Freestyle Team has been living in Utah for three years now. She trains at the Utah Park six days a week to prepare for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
When not training, Megan enjoys skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. For her, there will never be a shortage of things to do in Salt Lake City. You can be trekking in the mountains in the morning then enjoying the nightlife once the sun goes down. It is also a place every sports fan will love with the many professional sporting events it has to offer.
Megan’s Training Destinations Ahead of the Olympics
- Visit a training camp in Finland, which is very close to the Arctic Circle
- Participate in two World Cups in China
- Join a World Cup in Quebec
- Go back to Utah to enter the final qualifying event for the Olympics
Andy and Todd’s Salt Lake Top 10 Bucket List
- Mormon Tabernacle
- The vantage point of Mormon Tabernacle
- Salt Lake Temple
- Temple Square
- Great Salt Lake
- Uinta Brewing Company
- Proper Burger Company
- Fisher Brewing Company
- Big Cottonwood Canyon
- Ensign Peak
Chris Erickson
The Grand America Hotel was built to provide world-class amenities for the participants of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Chris Erickson, the hotel’s current general manager, continues to uphold the same level of high-quality services to everyone until today.
Grand America Hotel is a suitable place for different corporate events. It features breakout rooms of various sizes, a 25-000 sq. ft. grand imperial ballroom, and a grand salon. These can all be found on the first floor, making it easily accessible to everyone.
One of the hotel’s noteworthy qualities is its proximity to the airport, requiring only around 10 minutes of travel. This offers the convenience of getting down to your business as soon as you arrive at Salt Lake City. Furthermore, a new world-class airport was opened in November 2020, built from the same footprint as the current one. This $4 billion project is one huge step towards clean, safe, and efficient transportation. It gives Salt Lake City visitors a refreshing experience as soon as they get off the plane.
Grand America Hotel’s Most Notable Amenities
- The Grand Spa, one of the only 86 Forbes five-star spas in the whole world
- An outdoor infinity pool that serves delicious fish tacos
- The lobby lounge, the place to get espresso in the morning, tea in the afternoon, and cocktails in the evening
- A hidden gym for those who want a quiet time after a busy workday
- An oak dining room, best for a relaxing Sunday brunch
Chris’ Top Ski Park Picks
- Snowbird, which hosted skiing events in the 2002 Winter Olympics. Not as crowded as other well-known resorts and offers great food choices
- Olympic Park, which houses a little museum that chronicles the history of ski industry attire over the last hundred years
About Chris Erickson
Chris Erickson is a 30 year veteran of the hospitality industry. His career began as a Front Desk Agent in Seattle and ascended to the position of General Manager after experiencing multiple positions within the hotel industry. Chris is the Hotel Manager for the luxury Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. The Grand America team has received multiple accolades during Chris’ tenure including the Forbes Five Star award for The Grand Spa (one of only 86 in the world and the only in Salt Lake City) as well as top awards from Tripadvisor (top #14 luxury hotels in the country) and Trivago. The Grand America Hotel is currently a Forbes Four Star Hotel.
About Megan Smallhouse
Megan Smallhouse is an American freestyle skier who competes internationally. She competed in the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships 2021, where she placed seventh in women’s aerials.
