Headline News
New B.C. Resort Plans 2007/08 Opening, Buys Helicopter and Snowcat Skiing Operators
Revelstoke Mountain Resort, a new resort under development on Mount MacKenzie in Revelstoke, B.C., announced a $22-million gondola and high-speed quad chairlift contract with Leitner Poma Canada Inc. that will make the new resort North America’s longest skiable vertical at 6,000 feet (1,829 meters).
With phase one of lift installations beginning in spring 2007, the first eight-person gondola and high-speed quad chairlift will be operational by fall 2007/08, in time for the official opening of this proposed $1-billion resort. The gondola will initially take skiers from the upper village to an elevation of 5,577 feet (1,700 meters), while the high-speed quad will begin at 5,233 feet (1,595 meters) and rise to 7,365 feet (2,245 meters). In 2008, the gondola will be extended, creating North America’s longest vertical descent with 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) of lift-serviced ski terrain.
The resort also announced the signing of a purchase agreement contract for a spring takeover of renowned local helicopter-skiing operation Selkirk Tangiers. The signing of these contracts, in combination with the resort’s acquisition of CAT Powder Skiing, is intended to make Revelstoke Mountain Resort a one-stop destination for helicopter, snowcat and lift skiers.
“Revelstoke has been my favorite place to ski for years. This is the epicenter of world-class helicopter and snowcat skiing, and now, with the signing of this contract with Poma and the upcoming contract with Selkirk Tangiers, Revelstoke Mountain Resort will be a world-class, one-of-a-kind ski resort,” said Don Simpson, Chairman of Simpson Property Group Canada, Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s developer. “You will literally be able to get up in the morning and have the world’s greatest adventure playground at your doorstep, with helicopter, snowcat and lift skiing all accessible from the village.”
More than 1,000 enthusiastic community members attended the announcement and celebration in a show of support for this long-awaited four-season resort on the edge of the Selkirk Mountain Range. High-ranked politicians and community groups such as the Revelstoke Ski Club were in attendance.
“We have been waiting for years for the dream of this resort to take shape and now it’s finally happening,” said Mayor Mark McKee. “This is a monumental day for all of us in Revelstoke and I’m thrilled to be a part of it all.”
The Revelstoke Mountain Resort development team also presented a $10,000 donation to the Canadian Avalanche Association and the Canadian Avalanche Centre, headquartered in Revelstoke, as well as a $5,000 donation to the Revelstoke Community Foundation, the official centennial legacy project of the community of Revelstoke.
The celebration event, emceed by former Canadian Women’s Ski Team champion Kendra (Kobelka) Wilson, was attended by more than 150 local schoolchildren, who were greeted with cookies and flags emblazoned with the brand new Revelstoke Mountain Resort logo. A family barbeque, sculptures by the Canadian Snow Sculpture Team and an audio-visual display of Revelstoke ski history and lifestyle followed the announcement.
“From all of us at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, we want to thank the community of Revelstoke for their patience and support,” added Simpson. “Revelstoke Mountain Resort is no longer a dream, it is now a reality.”
Peter Schlunegger, current owner and operator of Selkirk Tangiers, explained that following Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s spring takeover, the team of expert guides and professionals would remain the same and that he would continue to assist the resort with the management of the heli-skiing operation.
The spring 2007 acquisition of Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing will mean that, in total, Revelstoke Mountain Resort will boast more than 500,000 acres of skiable terrain.
A Little Bit of History
Just minutes from downtown Revelstoke, B.C., and only hours from international gateway cities like Vancouver, Kelowna and Calgary, the Revelstoke Mountain Resort area is already a popular local, national and international ski getaway. More than 8,000 heli- and cat skiers flock to the region annually to enjoy the 40 to 60 feet of annual snowfall and superb backcountry terrain.
In addition to offering world-class snowcat, helicopter and lift skiing, Revelstoke Mountain Resort will be a multi-phased resort community featuring a village heli-center, hotels, condominiums, town homes and single-family lots. More than 5,000 homes are part of the long-term plan for this sustainability-driven resort. A design and architectural team with years of resort planning expertise, including Perkins Design Associates and Ray Letkeman and Associates, created the master plan for the Resort Village, which will house commercial, retail and residential space.
Through each stage of planning, Revelstoke Mountain Resort has engaged a team of industry-leading experts including Enkon Environmental, SE Group, Integrated Design Studio Inc., Patty Xenos Design, Urban Systems, Skelton Design, and Holland Barrs Planning Group. As part of their effort to reduce environmental impact, this team has developed a comprehensive sustainability strategy that strives to reduce emissions, utilize green fuels and transportation, build green and energy efficient buildings, as well as support local businesses.
Real estate offerings in this master-planned resort community are marketed exclusively by Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, a Vancouver-based luxury real estate firm whose Revelstoke Mountain Resort Presentation Centre opened at 122 Mackenzie Avenue in downtown Revelstoke. The first release in Phase 1 of the resort will include 60 condos ranging in size from 450-square-foot studios to 1,500-square-foot penthouses. The homes are expected to be released in spring 2007.
Learn more about Revelstoke Mountain Resort by visiting its website, www.discoverrevelstoke.com.