Sundance Cans One of its Best Creative Minds…

Today I was saddened to read in the Salt Lake Tribune that Sundance Resort has “streamlined” Ray Grant Director of Programming. I must admit that for the most part I was a big fan of Ray’s. I think Ray brought some creativity to a place that has little creativity but claimed to be the center of the creative universe (Just read their own press). I find it amusing the spin that Sundance put on this. Salt Lake Tribunes headline reads “Sundance's programming director leaves due to cuts” and the Deseret News reads “Departing Sundance chief blames $$$” Since hiring Eric Sather as the Director of Operations over a year ago, Ray has been a marked man. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that Sundance cannot have two masters. Ray was a huge target because he was bold and brash and his programming was losing money. Despite some of my differences with Ray’s ideas I thought he did a tremendous job and I have nothing but the utmost respect for him. Grant passionately tried to make Sundance a high-class resort. Ray was instrumental in my success at Sundance. I wish Ray all the best…

So questions abound after this event.
1. Is Robert Redford going broke? Since when has he been concerned about wasting money at Sundance? This is an unusual step to fire top level management but isn’t unprecedented since the average executive staff member lasts about one and half years anyway. It just doesn’t usually come out that it is about cost savings.
2. Does this mean that Eric Sather has become the darling of Sundance and might actually stay on at Sundance instead of going to Zermatt in Heber City when its completed? Did he get a pay raise?
3. How will the changes affect HR? Will they need to hire more staff? Or will someone in management come to their senses and break up The Vanderlunden Cartel?
4. Will plays and outdoor concerts return to the Sundance Resort Outdoor Theater?