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WINTER X GAMES NINE GOING FOR GREEN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 18, 2005

WINTER X GAMES NINE GOING FOR GREEN
Plans In Place To Conserve Resources, Recycle And Use Renewable Energy In Staging The Premier Winter Action Sports Event In Aspen/Snowmass

ASPEN, Colo. – ESPN Winter X Games Nine, scheduled for Jan. 29 – Feb. 1 in Aspen/Snowmass, is enhancing its continued efforts to be environmentally responsible with the help of Aspen Skiing Company and other local supporters. The two primary goals of this initiative are: to make Winter X Games Nine a carbon-neutral event and to minimize the consumption of consumer products and waste. In basic terms, the plan for a carbon-neutral event calls for all carbon dioxide, which is the primary greenhouse gas generated during the event (this includes lifts, snowmobiles and on-mountain vehicles) to be offset by carbon credits. To accomplish these goals, the Winter X Games Nine event planning staff is collaborating with Aspen Skiing Company, Holy Cross Energy, New Century Transportation, Wally’s Recycle Service and other local vendors.

Working with Aspen Skiing Company, Winter X Games Nine plans to assist in the fight against global warming by reducing emissions through the use of bio-diesel fuel in heavy equipment on the mountain and in public transportation buses throughout the city. Following the lead of Aspen Skiing Company, which already runs the Summit Express lift using renewable energy, the Winter X Games will utilize wind power and carbon credits as power sources for the event, collaborating with local green utility Holy Cross Energy.

In the process of building the SuperPipe for Winter X Games Nine, the combined efforts of Aspen Skiing Company and ESPN saved approximately five million gallons of water by excavating the pipe out of the natural grade of the mountain and then building the decks by reusing dirt from a local construction site. This also saved on the total amount of energy used to produce the snow for the course.

“As the X Games franchise continues to grow, it is as important as ever to focus on utilizing new energy sources, conserving natural resources and making even more of an effort to educate fans on the value and vulnerability of our environment,” said Chris Stiepock, Winter X Games General Manager. “Because the Winter X Games connects with a young demographic, specifically teenagers, of both spectators and viewers, we are in a terrific position to lead by example and help educate this age group.”

ESPN has also developed a comprehensive recycling plan for the Winter X Games Nine venue. Receptacles will be placed around the venue for spectators to recycle plastics, glass and aluminum. Behind the scenes, environmentally friendly products such as recycled paper, napkins and cups were purchased for usage in offices and catering. A full-scale plan to recycle electronic waste such as video tapes, compact discs and batteries, plus office waste such as mixed paper and cardboard, will be implemented.

Initiatives to educate the spectators are also in place. The plans include public announcements and environmental trivia on the big screens as well as volunteers around recycling receptacles to assist.

Aspen/Snowmass has been the Winter X Games host since 2002 and an agreement with Aspen Skiing Company is in place to keep the event there through 2007. Efforts made in the areas of habitat protection and enhancement, energy and water efficiency, green development, waste management, recycling and alternative transportation are what elevated Aspen Skiing Company to serve as the country’s Green Leader in the mountain resort industry.

WINTER X GAMES NINE
The ninth annual, free-to-the-public Winter X Games will feature more than 230 of the world's best winter action sports athletes competing for medals and prize money in four sports: Moto X, Ski, Snowboard and Snowmobile. Winter X Games Nine will air live on ESPN and ABC Sports, including nightly primetime shows on ESPN at 9 pm ET. In addition, ESPN’s flagship news show, SportsCenter, will present live on-site segments from the event on January 31 and February 1.

ESPN, The Worldwide Leader in Action Sports, first developed its X Games franchise in 1995. As part of the ESPN Original Entertainment division, X Games, Winter X Games and All Access are just some of the original action sports programming currently shown on ESPN and ESPN2. The brand has also grown to include international X Games events, EXPN.com, EXPN Radio, the large format film ESPN's Ultimate X, X Games skateparks and various X Games-branded retail products.

ASPEN SKIING COMPANY
Aspen Skiing Company operates the four mountains in the Aspen/Snowmass area - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk - as well as the award-winning Ski & Snowboard Schools of Aspen/Snowmass. The area offers unparalleled nightlife and off-slope activities as well. Aspen/Snowmass is accessible by two of the most convenient airports in the mountains - Aspen Pitkin County Airport (ASE) (3 miles from Aspen) and Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) (70 miles from Aspen). For more information on Aspen Skiing Company, please call 800-525-6200 or 970-925-1220, or visit the company’s website at www.aspensnowmass.com

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Contacts:
ESPN Winter X Games – Maria Elles Scott, cell 213-276-2803, maria.elles.scott@espn.com
Aspen Skiing Company – Kristin Rust, 970-300-7021, krust@aspensnowmass.com

Related Websites:
Aspen Skiing Company – www.aspensnowmass.com/environment
Holy Cross Energy – www.holycross.com
New Century Transportation Fund – www.newcenturytrans.org

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