Aspen Skiing Co. and ESPN officials "remain tight-lipped on whether there will be an announcement before, during or after the upcoming Winter X Games regarding if the event will remain" in Aspen after this year, according to Carolyn Sackariason of the ASPEN DAILY NEWS. As ESPN has "extended or renewed its contracts with SkiCo over the past decade, the announcement typically came during the games." But with last-minute negotiations occurring between ESPN and SkiCo, it is "unclear whether they will result in a contract." The X Games will be "held at Buttermilk Mountain from Jan. 26-29," where they have been held since '02. ESPN is "asking for more support to host the event, given the increased competition from other resorts vying for the winter action-sports event." Aspen and Pitkin County officials said that "no meetings have been scheduled with elected officials in the upcoming weeks." For the past nine years, the city has "paid SkiCo $100,000 annually as part of the incentive package for ESPN to host the games here, which was a commitment made during previous negotiations." SkiCo is working on a bid "for a five-year contract to continue hosting the popular games" in Aspen. Officials said that the city's financial commitment toward the event is a "key part of that" (ASPEN DAILY NEWS, 1/12).
