SUN VALLEY, Idaho — A Sun Valley staple for nearly 50 years, the small but mighty stand serves up classic Chicago-style dogs to skiers, locals, and tourists alike.
“We just love it. You know, any holiday, any race,” said Jill Rubin, owner of Irving’s Hot Dogs.
But this weekend, with the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Sun Valley, Rubin is preparing for a rush unlike any other.
“We've got food in the back just in coolers by the ton. You know we're not gonna run out, you know? Yeah, so hopefully we'll be real busy. Yeah, there was, at one point, they're thinking 3,000 people down here,” Rubin said.
With 5,000 to 6,000 people expected to pour into the small town, businesses are gearing up for one of the biggest economic booms the area has ever seen.
“We did a calculation, and our number came out to somewhat over $15 million just for the 10 days of the event. That is economic impact that flows in through salaries, through benefits to local businesses, to the hotels,” said Harry Griffith, executive director of Sun Valley Economic Development.
He notes that there are roughly 1,000 participants in the race, which includes racers, coaches, technicians, and media. Additionally, there are more than 600 volunteers involved with the event.
The biggest challenge? Where to put all the people…
“We only have 7,000 pillows in our community. So people talking about higher numbers—unless they’re camping out, they’re going to have a little trouble. Most of the hotels in the North Valley are fully booked. There are still a couple of rooms available here and there. Restaurants are fully booked in terms of, you know, if you want a reservation, good luck,” Griffith said.
Organizers say the World Cup is more than just a race; it’s a chance for Sun Valley to showcase itself on an international stage.
“That’s part of the reason why we're doing this is to actually become more attractive for an international clientele. I think we’ll see some surprised athletes who had never heard of the area coming here and going, ‘Wow, we did not expect that,’” Griffith said.
And beyond this week, Irving's is focused on feeding the next generation of skiers.
“The kids are here on the weekends with ski training and so it keeps us going,” Rubin said.
