From boom to bust and back again.
That's this desert city's history, marked of late by an economic resurgence that's seen 500 new hotel rooms built in the past two years, record numbers of tourists spending vacation here and a 90-day moratorium on new subdivision permits.During the first quarter of the year, the city counted 53,504 visitors, up by 10,000 over 1993's numbers for the same period. New businesses spring up regularly, and the area's state and national parks report unprecedented attendance, up by one-third over last year.
Some longtime residents grumble about the growing urbanization of Moab, with a population that in 1990 was about 5,000 and now approaches 7,000, but many seem genuinely happy to see the good times again.
"It's been feast or famine for many years," says Connie Petroni, director of the local chamber of commerce, reminiscing about the uranium mines that used to flourish but left hundreds unemployed when they shut down one by one over the past generation.
Moab and surrounding Grand County were especially hard hit in the 1980s, when the population dropped by 20 percent, from 8,241 to 6,620, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
But the area is rebounding, thanks to a growing interest in the outdoors and a steady stream of national publicity aimed at Moab and environs.
Vacationers like it so much that they sometimes move here.
"During the season when people come to visit and fall in love with the place, we do 100 relocation packets a month," said Petroni.
David Storey, owner of the Moab Valley Inn, doubled the size of his motel last year to keep up with demand and said he imagines the day when Moab will draw as many people as does golf mecca St. George on the opposite side of the state.
"Our weather is as nice as theirs," said Story, whose expansion to 127 rooms included construction of convention facilities. "This is going to become a year-round destination. We want the snowbirds."
While St. George boasts nine golf courses and Moab has just one, Storey said his town offers more recreational diversity, including snowmobiling, telemark skiing and mountain-biking.
"Those between the ages of 18 and 24 are just pouring in because of the mountain-biking," he said, noting in recent years the creation of a whole local culture of generally young people who are tan, environmentally conscious, and prone to vegetarianism.
That's just the crowd the brand-new and centrally located Slick Rock Cafe is after, says owner Anthony Mason, who opened it this spring kitty-corner to a posh and capacious new visitors center built last year by the county and city.
"Our general goal was to serve wholesome, healthier meals," said Mason, who worked with his partners to restore a turn-of-the-century building into the 100-seat restaurant.
The meat-and-potato crowd is significant, too, says Margaret Griffith, marketing director for Sherri Griffith Expeditions Inc., which specializes in whitewater rafting.
Her reaction when she saw an establishment called Fat City Smokehouse open was, "Excuse me?"
"People are so health conscious I didn't think it would make it."
But it seems to have thrived.
Griffith said Moab's popularity even among Europeans has become well-entrenched. The company regularly sends executives overseas to promote the town and generally awards river-guide jobs to people who can speak either French or German in addition to English.
"We did a two-day trip a couple of weeks ago for 86 Frenchman," said Griffith, noting the demand for bilingual skills.
Petroni, however, said there are worries that Moab's economy is too one-dimensional, relying as it does almost entirely on tourism and its generally low-paying jobs.
"People here in Moab would really welcome a low-impact industry with year-round employment."