Wealthy titans of industry and power brokers are set to descend on Sun Valley this week for the 36th annual Allen & Co. conference.
Switzerland has Davos; Idaho has the Allen Conference. The exclusive, invite-only gathering of moguls in Sun Valley has a guest list that reads like a who’s who. Business Insider reports some of this year’s attendees include Mark Zuckerberg, Rupert Murdoch and Jeff Bezos. Charlie Rose, who was brought down by the #Metoo movement, is also said to have been invited.
The weeklong conference hosted by the Allen & Co. investment bank is expected to focus on the wave of mergers and consolidations taking place across the media landscape. Just what happens at the gathering is unknown – attendees don’t talk and organizers are contractually bound to silence.
Authorities at Friedman Airport in Hailey say they’re expecting a range of private aircraft – both jets and propeller planes – to fill the facility to capacity. Once parking runs out there, the wealthy will have to stow their aircraft in Twin Falls or Boise.
Locals in the Wood River Valley say the annual conference provides a big boost to the region’s economy. When not attending sessions at the Sun Valley Resort, the tycoons hire locals for everything from childcare to fishing guides.
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