Where to go in Italy?

My partner and I are going to the Olympics in Feb 2006 to watch my
sister and want to spend a week either before or after snowboarding
somewhere else. We are both good snowboarders and enjoy going
off-piste and tackling the harder runs as well as playing in the park.
We are looking for somewhere that is value for money and hopefully not
too busy.

My family is going to Val Gardena, so that may be a starting point, but
I have heard it may not be too good for snowboarders, and the place
they are staying in is too expensive for us anyway! Please can you let
me know of some places we could try, and maybe the reputations of the
bigger places? We are from New Zealand and have never travelled to
Europe, so don't really now much about the location at all.

As an aside... if anyone wants information on snowboarding / skiing in
New Zealand let me know - it is fantastic!

Thanks for you help!
Emma