Tribe pins economic future on Grand Canyon attraction
Stephanie Paterik
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 21, 2007 12:00 AM
GRAND CANYON WEST - One thousand people spilled into this remote corner of Arizona, hidden behind a thicket of Joshua trees and washboard roads, for Tuesday's VIP opening of the highly anticipated Skywalk.
They came from London, China, Germany and beyond to tread across the glass observation deck that has captured the imagination of travelers everywhere.
Many were journalists recording the sensation of being suspended 4,000 feet above the Grand Canyon floor. The public must wait until March 28. advertisement
What they saw was layer upon layer of rock formations below, winding their way to the bottom of the abyss. Looking ahead over the glass walls, they saw a calm river to the left and a rock formation that resembles an eagle to the right.
The jittery ones strolled along it quickly, while others pressed their faces against the glass floor.
"Whoa, vertigo!" one TV reporter said, hamming it up for the camera.
In many ways, the celebration was an event of contrasts.
The VIPs arrived on chartered buses from Las Vegas to witness tourism's latest curiosity. Meanwhile, Hualapai Tribe members, who own this part of the Canyon, drove the dusty roads from Peach Springs to mark the dawn of economic hope.
They dedicated a man-made structure bolted to the walls of a natural wonder.
There were ice sculptures, buffet lines, women in platform shoes and rumors Oprah might show. There also was tribal regalia, ceremonial dancing, Indian fry bread and jeans.
After a morning of festivities, the crowd swarmed the rim to see former astronauts Buzz Aldrin and John Bennett Herrington, the first Native American in space, take the ceremonial "first walk."
The crowd cheered as the men slipped protective covers over their feet and stepped onto 3-inch-thick glass panes. Hualapai Chairman Charlie Vaughn, developer David Jin and other VIPs joined them.
A smiling Aldrin called it a "magnificent first walk," then clutched the glass rail and leaned over for a look at the crevice below.
At a news conference afterward, he said, "You're walking on transparent glass. You can look left, right, up, down and see a truly magnificent view."
Aldrin, who was paid a speaker's fee, said the experience was wonderful but no moonwalk. "It really doesn't compare that much to walking in space," he said. "Not exactly like floating on air, but a wonderful vision. A vision of hope for the future."
The Hualapai's future, to be certain.
The tribe partnered with Las Vegas entrepreneur David Jin three years ago to build a glass-and-steel observation deck. The goal: to attract more tourists to boost the economy of the impoverished tribe.
Jin secured the $40 million to cover costs, and the tribe offered its land. They will share revenue for the next 25 years.
Tribe members held a private ceremony Monday to ask their ancestors for permission to use the land in this way. Then they trod onto the cantilevered bridge, a day before the media descended on their community.
Many on Tuesday expressed that they had mixed emotions about building a commercial structure onto the Canyon.
"A lot of people are asking, 'Is it good for the tribe?' " said Wilfred Whatoname Jr., a tour guide at the Canyon. "The thing is, it's here, and it will impact our lives regardless of how we feel about it."
Don Havatone, another guide, said the tribe has no choice now but to embrace the development.
"We are disturbing our sacred ground," he said. "It was hard for me to accept at one time, but today I accept it as it goes up."
Tourists ultimately will decide if the gamble was worth it.
Some would-be Skywalkers already are complaining the $74.95 tour package price is too steep. And Tuesday, tribal officials said they will ban cameras and cellphones on the bridge.
But tribe members are hopeful the experience is just quirky enough to attract the masses. They expect attendance to double in the first year to 600,000.
Tour operators at the event predicted success. My Travel, one of the United Kingdom's largest tour companies, plans to offer a Skywalk package from Manchester.
"It's something new, something different," said Joan Grimbaldeston, a representative at the event. "Nobody would have imagined you could build such a structure."
She added the Skywalk's PR machine has done a good job.
"Everyone I know has heard about it."
The project originally was slated to cost $30 million, but it went over budget as the design became more ambitious and construction took longer than expected.
The original contractor left the project in October over liability concerns and the grand opening was delayed. But Jin secured a new contractor who finished the walkway, rolled it over the rim and bolted it to the Canyon wall earlier this month.
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