Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Interview with Bill Kerig

Aired February 09, 2002 - 22:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: While the eyes of the world are fixed on Salt Lake, there is so much more for tourists to see than just the Winter Games.

Bill Kerig wrote a book about it, in fact. The author of "Utah Underground: A Guide to the Real Fun." He's joining us now from Salt Lake City.

Bill, you've got quite a party going on down there this weekend in your town?

BILL KERIG, AUTHOR, "UTAH UNDERGROUND": It's the best party I've ever seen in Salt Lake.

CALLAWAY: Are you having a great time?

KERIG: I'm having a ball. I love the Olympics. I love it.

CALLAWAY: Now you know, most people, when they think of Utah, you think of a place where you can't get any caffeine. You can't get any alcohol. How correct are we?

KERIG: Yes, I mean, you're incorrect, actually. The misconceptions about Utah are many and varied. And I hear them over and over. And that's the whole reason I wrote the book.

Everybody thinks you can't get a good cup of coffee. You can't get a drink. I've heard people say to me you can't dance there, right? Wrong. You can get great coffee. There are twice as many places in Salt Lake City to get a drink as there were in Nagano. It's a really fun place. And yes, you can dance. And you can dance all night, if you want.

CALLAWAY: Now Bill, I don't want to focus just on alcohol here, but straighten me out on this. Have some of these just been set up, some of these places just been opened and set up for the Olympics? Will they still be there when the Olympics are gone, some of these so- called party places?

KERIG: I'm hearing that they will be here. And I hope they are here, because I've had a look around. And there's a lot of really fun places. So can't tell you for sure, but I think that a lot of them are here to stay.

CALLAWAY: What is the one thing you got to do when you're in Salt Lake City? You got to see?

KERIG: Well, I mean, coming to Salt Lake and not taking a walk through Temple Square would be like going to Rome and not going to the Vatican. So you've got to come there.

Then I think you have to get out and meet the great people here. I think you have to disprove some of the misconceptions. I think you have to go to one of the vibrant night spots here. I think you have to go get some good coffee.

There's great restaurants. And the one thing you have to do, is you have to go skiing. I was at Snowbird today. It doesn't have any Olympic events going on. There was two feet of fresh powder, blue sky. It was an incredible day and no crowds. So...

CALLAWAY: Wow.

KERIG: I'd go skiing, if I were you.

CALLAWAY: Yes. And some great deals, I bet, right now with...?

KERIG: Yes, excellent deals are going on right now. You know, people in Utah were very worried that folks would be scared and they'd stay away. And so, they offered great deals. And they're still offering great deals. There are great crowds on the streets of Salt Lake City, but up in the mountains at the resorts, there's no lift lines. There's great snow. There's cheap deals on lodging. I think there's a lot going on that people don't know about.

Bill, perusing your book, there's some interesting places in here. The Dead Goat Saloon. You said there's a number of gay bars there in that area. I'm a little surprised that all that's available there.

KERIG: Yes, I mean, I think most people are surprised that any gay bars exist in Utah, much less half a dozen right here in downtown Salt Lake. The Dead Goal Saloon, which you mentioned, is a wonderful blues live music bar. There are techno night clubs. There are breweries. There are great coffee shops, coffee houses.

There are so many things here, pretty much whatever you want to find, you'll find in Salt Lake City.

CALLAWAY: Have you talked to some of the people there, some of the tourists that -- you know, what are they telling you? What is their biggest surprise?

KERIG: The biggest surprise is the whole thing. And what I keep saying to them is, you know, Utah can't help but win, because our reputation is so bad, we couldn't possibly live up to it.

And then they get here and they're so fired up, that they're having a great time.

CALLAWAY: It is. It's incredibly beautiful there, I have to tell you. I cannot imagine a prettier place to go than Salt Lake City. And I would imagine all the publicity you're getting right now, your tourism is going to soar.

KERIG: Yes, for sure. I mean, I don't think we've ever had a problem attracting people here who knew what was here. Now the whole world will know what's here. And yes, I think they'll be a lot of people coming to Salt Lake City.

CALLAWAY: And you can say well you knew it all along.

KERIG: I can say I knew it all along and I wrote about it.

CALLAWAY: There you go. Bill Kerig, thank you for joining us. And have a good time at the games. I wish I was there.

KERIG: I wish you were, too. It's a great time. And thank you for having me.

CALLAWAY: All right, take care.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com