Russian wealth investing in Aspen

Neither is a new topic to Haute Living and Haute Blog readers, but Aspen and Russia are again the subjects of this entry, as The Aspen Daily News is reporting that Russians are beginning to head stateside for their skiing vacations instead of hitting up the European slopes, with a variety of reasons mentioned.

First, a December 30 story in London’s Sunday Telegraph makes a case that Russian guests are “rude and intolerant” at several of the upper-echelon ski resorts in Europe, citing quotes from hotel representatives at some of the most exclusive resorts around.

So why would the U.S. want these moguls – other than the fact that they sound strikingly similar to their American counterparts?

All jokes aside, Deb Palmieri, the honorary counsel general to Russia, says “I have never seen Russians behave in a rude manner when they are treated with respect and dignity.” In other words, Aspen’s inviting atmosphere could be the perfect place for Russia’s millionaires and billionaires (more per capita than any city in the world, but we’re sure you remember that) to settle down and spend some dough.

And there is plenty of it, as the story cites that Russia’s economy is growing at a 7 percent rate annually, a healthy rise for a country that had recently had its fair share of troubles.

Via The Aspen Daily News