He
is certainly no stranger to the desert. “I learned about this
desert on the back of one stallion named Monaco, an old desert‑bred
horse. I rode him 10,000 miles. I’d ride up Black Mountain,
drop the reins, and Monaco would just stand there. You could
see the ancient look in his eyes,” Eider‑Orley says, wistfully.
“In all those miles of riding I learned to feel the desert.
It isn’t just an academic thing. It’s the desert story–a connection
to the land.”
Eider‑Orley
envisions three indigenous
cultures preserved at the resort: Native American culture, cowboy
culture, and Arizona mining culture.
“The
way I like to say it is that people will come to the Carefree
Resort because they want to find the High Sonoran Desert experience.
They aren’t coming to the Sonoran Desert or Carefree because
the resort is here; they’re coming here to learn and enjoy what’s
in this destination.”
He
stresses the need for the resort and its staff to understand
these three elements, as well as what travelers are expecting.
“I’m
sure you are aware of the previous reputation of this Resort,”
he smiles. “One of the things I’ve needed to do here is settle
down the operation. The history isn’t pretty. Performance wasn’t
very good. Basics of service and product services (how you deliver
the product) had to be stabilized and made consistent. One of
the first things I wanted to do was give people quality and
reliability.”
The
task at hand is to enhance the reputation of the resort because
it’s underexposed within the area as well as in the national
and international markets. The resort is fortunate to be free
of the restrictions of a brand name, which Eider‑Orley
admits can be a blessing or a curse.
“This
property is an independent property of West Paces, Ltd.,” Eider‑Orley
says, “which is a good thing because it doesn’t really affect
what we do.” But that makes the job of creating an image for
the resort all the more complex.
“Carefree
is what you expect when you come to the High Sonoran Desert.
Carefree has taken the steps over the years to keep the character.
We are also connecting to Cave Creek, because it embodies the
rustic nature of this area.”
The
challenge is creating a product that will be akin to what Eider‑Orley
calls “a fine wine luxurious project,” and then connecting it
with all the destination activities in the way the resort “unfolds
the story.”
He
refers frequently to “culture‑keepers,” like museums,
historical societies, and other institutions that he must look
to in order to be sure what he’s doing at the resort is “clinically
correct.”
However,
he is much more interested in the people whom the story is about.
Citing a Hopi friend, Eider‑Orley calls it the difference
between authenticity and honesty. “You must not trivialize the
culture,” he asserts.
The
resort has focused on making available numerous hands‑on
opportunities part of the story–both for locals and those visiting
the area. A kiosk in the hotel lobby is manned by a member of
the Gila River tribe, and also on staff is the son of the last
living member of the Hopi Bluebird clan, the group responsible
for keeping the history of its members alive. Individuals like
this are available to provide information to guests about activities,
history, and other parts of the Sonoran Desert story.
Eider‑Orley
refers to a stay at the resort as “adventure light,” whether
spending the day knee deep in Indian legend, in a hot air balloon,
or on horseback and then returning to the resort for buffalo
tenderloin or salmon, not at a cliché western grill, but at
restaurant that stays true to the story and to the resort.
Staying
true to the expectations people have upon arriving at the resort
is important. “The resort’s dedicated golf course is Legend
Trail. Desert golf is desirable and part of the resort experience.
It is a luxury that you expect on a resort vacation,” Eider‑Orley
says. “Some things you don’t mess with.”
The
resort embraces the proposition that the experience is for the
entire family. Carefree Kids Camp is a fun way for kids to learn
about the area. The grounds boast a 1000‑seat opera house,
done in the old country style of the Grand Ole Opry. The hall
has been graced with the voice of Phoenix native Jessi Colter,
great great grandniece of Jesse Colter, part of the Jesse James’
gang. Cowboy Poetry is another staple of the resort, as are
campfire sing‑alongs.
There
is a glass studio on the resort grounds, overseen by Peggy Stewart,
whose work with dichroic glass is on display in the Smithsonian
Institution. The minerals found within the glass are indigenous
to Arizona.
The
Carefree Copper Mine is almost completed–a circle of large rocks
with veins of azurite, malachite, and turquoise, all native
to Arizona. It will be filled with sand and sprinkled with minerals
and rough cut. Arizona Quartz is on display throughout the resort
as well.
The
resort is changing its physical face, too, by renovating regular
guest rooms, casitas, meeting space, the resort’s restaurants
and bars as well as enlarging the main pool. The Villas, another
community within the resort, is already maintained to very high
standards, and will continue to be.
“Everything
we do is creating a subliminal impression to enhance what you
expect when you come to this destination.” Taking on the role
of a culture‑keeper in the area, Carefree Resort and Villas
is poised to tell the story of the High Sonoran Desert while
simultaneously sharing the Native American, cowboy, and Arizona
mine cultures with visitors.
