Vail Honors George Gillett's Legacy at Dobson Arena

Aspen —The first sound to echo through the newly remodeled Dobson Arena wasn’t a whistle or a cheer. It was a laugh. A warm, slightly skeptical chuckle from James Deighan, the former mogul skier who spent years running a successful sports and event company in Vail. He stood at the microphone, emceeing the George Gillett Celebration of Life, and found himself shaking his head at the stories he’d spent a lifetime listening to. Specifically, the one about caddying for two-time U.S. Open golf champion Andy North at the British Open. Deighan had been skeptical. He should have known better.

This was the part everyone skips past when they think about George N. Gillett Jr. We recall the bankruptcy. We recall the loss of control in the early ’90s. We recall the drama. But we often forget the man who stood in London in 2008, holding court among sports team owners, lawyers, and investment bankers. Bjorn Erik Borgen, Gillett’s longtime friend and Vail neighbor, was there for the 70th birthday celebration. He saw a man who had fully rebounded. At that time, Gillett owned the Montreal Canadiens, was in a partnership with the Liverpool Football Club, and held interests in the Evernham NASCAR Motor Sports Company and the Booth Creek Ski Company. Borgen noted it was only 16 years after he lost control of Vail. An incredible achievement.

“He loved people. He knew how to connect with everyone,” Borgen said, summarizing the life of the beloved former owner. “In short, my memory of George will be ‘No deal too big and no person too small.’”

And that matters because it challenges the obvious take that Gillett was defined by his failures. He was defined by his ability to operate. As Borgen described, everybody wanted a piece of George, and he gave it to them. It was amazing to watch how he operated.

North provided the proof of those claims later in the afternoon. He spoke of a practice round at St. Andrews where Jack Nicklaus joined them. Gillett was in rare form, hitting beautiful shots on every single hole. But between shots, he was introducing himself to the town of St. Andrews. By the end of the day, he knew every single person by name. The crowd was cheering for him. “George, George, George, George.”

North and Nicklaus looked at each other, wondering what the deal was. Gillett finished with a long putt on the last hole, a par 4, for a birdie. A perfect ending to a perfect day. He received a standing ovation from the 500 people following them.

“George being George,” North said.

The arena settled into a quiet hum as the final applause faded. The lights dimmed, leaving the polished floor to reflect the empty seats. Somewhere in the distance, a door clicked shut. The silence remained.