Marysvale, Utah — When you run a small business, you do whatever it takes to make it successful, even if it means doing the dishes.
“Whatever the job is, it’s the job you’re meant to do,” Robert Thompson said.
He and his wife Crystal Big Rock Candy Mountain Resort Just last year, near Marysvale.
Since it was a place I had visited before, I noticed it was on sale and decided to give it a try.
“I had worked for corporate America for years and was exhausted by the job,” Robert Thompson said.
They knew that buying a resort was a risk, but they also felt that with a lot of effort they could get people to stop by.
“Honestly, this is already a magical place. So we want to build on that,” Crystal Thompson said.
They bought the resort in Sevier County, just across the Piute County line, just in time. Because nothing attracts people more than something they don’t see every day. Or in this case he is every 10 years.
“We’ve actually been fully booked since the end of April. We’re opening up some areas for people to camp or bring their RVs so everyone has more space,” Robert Thompson said. .
Marysvale is one of many communities in Utah that will be in the midst of a major annular solar eclipse on the morning of Saturday, October 14th. This may be perhaps the biggest event to draw people to Paiute County in the county’s history.
“I think you’re all a little nervous, you know? You never know what’s going to happen. We saw what happened in Idaho a few years ago and we wanted to avoid that, but… , we don’t know until it happens,” said Paiute County Commissioner Darin Bushman. “Businesses are preparing and we think we can prepare for the crowds.”
and Events, music, gourmet food, portable toiletsBushman feels the county and businesses have done a great job preparing.
Bushman also believes the eclipse is a great opportunity for people to discover the region, which may not receive enough tourist attention.
“We frankly have some of the most beautiful scenery in the state,” Bushman said. “We see this as an opportunity to get people to know Piute County and we hope they will book for next year as well.”
That’s what the Thompsons are hoping for.
“Our number one thing when we bought it was, number one, to raise awareness of who we are here and what we have to do here,” Crystal said. “Many other businesses in the county are also participating to show off what we have.”
Who would have thought that a big shadow could put an even bigger spotlight on them and the area?
“I heard through word of mouth that the Sheriff’s Office is expecting over 30,000 people to be in the area,” Robert said. “That’s a lot of people considering there are about 30,000 people living within an 80-mile radius of Big Rock Candy Mountain.”