Mountain Money

We're taking a bite into the fast-casual restaurant industry in the Wasatch Back as Matt Johnson, owner of The Bagel Den in Kimball Junction, joins us to talk about the logistics and economics of bringing authentic New York-style bagels to Park City. We break down what it's like to import authentic Long Island dough, navigate the competitive local breakfast rush, and build a thriving community hub for residents and travelers alike.

Mountain Money dives into the music side of Park City's summer arts scene as Ember Conley, Executive Director of Park City Performing Arts, joins the show to discuss the upcoming "Concerts on the Slopes" summer concert series at the Canyons Village Amphitheater. They'll explore the lineup, what it's like to bring world-class entertainment to our mountain community, and how the nonprofit curated this year's diverse lineup.

As the weather warms up, many folks are hitting the golf course. Beth Armstrong, Managing Director of the Marcella Club, joins the show to discuss the current golf season at the development near Jordanelle. We dig into the workings of their newly anticipated "Skyline" course, which is Tiger Woods and TGR Design's very first mountain course layout and how this brings a fresh approach of high-end golf to Park City.

Jeffery Winters, author of "The Blind Spot: How Oligarchs Dominate Our Democracy," joins Roger and Kevin to discuss how a small, wealthy elite exerts outsized influence on American democracy. He explains the role of what he calls the "wealth defense industry" and how it contributes to growing inequalities in political participation.

Sports betting didn't just follow American sports—it helped build them. Author David Bockino discusses "Over Under: A History of Sports Betting in America," revealing how gamblers, bookmakers, scandals and the invention of the point spread helped transform local games into national obsessions.

Le Dépôt and Union Patisserie have been open just long enough to learn that Main Street runs on extremes—mayhem one week, crickets the next. Katie and Galen share how they juggle food waste, staffing whiplash, and Utah’s ever-changing liquor laws while keeping steak frites and fresh croissants flowing.

Park City is one of the most congested resort corridors in the American West, and a seven-mile Bus Rapid Transit line called The Bobsled Express is about to change that — permanently. We sit down with the contractor building it, Stacy Witbeck, and the transit agency behind it, High Valley Transit, to break down the business and economics of getting it done.

Professor Luis Garcia of the University of Utah Computer Science Department discusses Anthropic’s new AI software Mythos, a program so powerful that is being released only to certain reputable companies.

Most of us know what we should do with money — so why don't we do it? Financial advisor and behavioral finance expert Lev Mandel joins us to explore the emotional patterns, old stories, and hidden habits that actually drive our financial decisions.

Author Joe Pappalardo unpacks Boomtown, the true story of Borger, Texas, where an oil rush quickly gave way to corruption and violence. Just a year after it was founded, the town became a haven for bootleggers, gamblers and organized crime. Pappalardo explains how the chaos drew national attention and ultimately brought in legendary Texas Ranger Frank Hamer.

What does it take to build a wellness destination from the ground up? OnZen Hot Springs founder joins us to talk about the vision, the journey and what "unique wellness experiences" really means in practice.

Jan Dutkiewicz and Gabriel Rosenberg talk about their new book, “Feed the People: Why Industrial Food is Good for You and How to Make it Better," which takes a look at the complex American food industry.

Patrick Fabian and Rick Koplow of Spa Tender go inside the business of hot tubs and pool service.

Professor Daniel Rood, author of “In the Shadow of the Great House: A History of the Plantation in America,” recounts how the plantation model grew into an enormous economic industry on the backs of slave labor.

Jen and Ken Mihal talk about their fly fishing outfitter business. They describe that it's like to spend a day on the river, their new online fly store and their fly fishing education website.

Michael Kimmel, author of the new book "Playmakers," tells the story of the creation of American toy industry at the beginning of the 20th century.

Peter Breslow of the PBPR public relations firm shares the path that led him to the business as well as some observations about the PR challenges facing the Wasatch Back after two difficult ski seasons.

Jonathan Fillman, Promontory's new general manager, has an update on the many new developments happening in the local community.

Randy Livingston, the former CFO of Stanford, shares his insights on how the finances of a major university works. He discusses the many sources of revenue such as tuition, grants and philanthropy. He also explains the many kinds of costs that universes incur.

Author Paul Fischer discusses his new book on the remarkable careers of film directors Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. The three men became friends and reinvented American cinema.

Peak Medical in Park City delivers customized treatment programs that blend bioidentical hormone replacement, medically supervised weight loss and IV therapy to help patients look, feel, and perform at their best. Rather than one-size-fits-all protocols, they build plans around individual labs, symptoms, and goals. This episode dives into how they’re rethinking midlife health, energy, and confidence in a mountain community.

This conversation goes inside the world of drone-based avalanche and wildfire control. From MONTIS avalanche missions to drone-integrated ignition spheres, we unpack how Drone Amplified extends crews’ reach while they stay safely on the ground.

John “JK” Kenworthy, owner of Flanagan's on main, helps us prepare for St. Patrick’s Day.