Devil's Bargains: Tourism in the Twentieth-Century American West

Lawerence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 2000. Fifth Edition . Trade Paperback. Fine. 6" x 9. Morath, Stephen - Cover. 434 Pages Indexed. Brand new condition. Interior text pages are flawless. The West is America's last outpost of unfettered opportunity, but 20th century tourism has transformed it into Americas land of opportunism. From Sun Valley to Santa Fe, western towns have been turned over to outsiders and to those who stay and control. Although tourism has been a blessing for many, bringing economic and cultural prosperity to communities without obvious means of support or allowing towns on the brink of extinction to renew themselves; the costs on more intangible levels may be said to outweigh the benefits and be a devils bargain in the making. Hal Rothman examines the effect of 20th century tourism on the West and exposes that industry's darker side. He tells how tourism evolved from Grand Canyon rail trips to Sun Valley ski weekends and Disneyland vacations, and how the post-World War II boom in air travel and luxury hotels capitalized on a surge in discretionary income for many Americans, combined with newfound leisure time. From major destinations like Las Vegas to revitalized towns like Aspen and Moab, Rothman reveals how the introduction of tourism into a community may seem innocuous, but residents gradually realize, as they seek to preserve the authenticity of their communities, that decision-making power has subtly shifted from the community itself to the newly arrived corporate financiers. And because tourism often results in a redistribution of wealth and power to outsiders, it represents a new form of colonialism for the region. By depicting the nature of tourism in the American West through true stories of places and individuals that have felt its grasp, Rothman doesn't just document the effects of tourism but provides us with an enlightened explanation of the shape these changes take. Deftly balancing historical perspective with an eye for what's happening in the region right now, his book sets new standards for the study of tourism.