SNAPPED: Military robots, helis steal show at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley opening

Grand Opening Celebration of the Grand Hyatt, Deer Valley. Ribbon cutting by Lt. Gov Deidre M. Henderson Photo: TownLift//Randi Sidman-Moore

PARK CITY, Utah — On Thursday, Jan. 9, nearly 300 military, elected officials, and community leaders gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley. The celebration began with a helicopter flyover and later included a military robot demonstration; these military robots have an estimated cost of around $400,000.

The morning event, sponsored by the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), Extell Development, the State of Utah, Hill Air Force Base, and Wasatch County, centered around the hotel’s 100 designated morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) rooms offered to eligible service members at significantly discounted rates.

Headline speakers included Lt. Gov. Deidre M. Henderson; Colonel Dan Cornelius, Commander, 75^th Air Base Wing, Hill Air Force Base; President J Stuart Adams, Utah Senate and MIDA Board Chairman; Steve Farrell, Wasatch County; and Gary Barnett, Chairman and Founder, Extell.

The ceremony included a tribute to former President Jimmy Carter, the 23rd Army Band, the Hill Air Force Base Honor Guard, and a stunning flyover by the Utah Army National Guard with three Blackhawk, Apache, and Lakota helicopters.