Skiers and snow boarders ride up chairlift on Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
The Whistler Blackcomb resort north of Vancouver has announced $345-million in redevelopment plans, with about a third of that aimed at making the venerable operation more "weather independent" by offering activities that aren't tied to snow.
Dave Brownlie, the company's president and chief executive, said Wednesday that snowfall over the past decade has been higher than in the previous decade at the resort about 120 kilometres north of Vancouver, but he acknowledged weather is becoming more volatile.
The result is the Whistler Blackcomb Renaissance, the largest investment in the 50-year history of the resort, which attracts two million skier visits per year, on average, and attracted 600,000 non-ski visits last year.
In 2010, it hosted Olympic skiing events.
"We believe that by creating these weather-independent opportunities, we'll stabilize and strengthen our business," Mr. Brownlie said in an interview, adding he hopes clients, including foreign visitors, will commit to the resort knowing there will be something to do regardless of whether it's indoors or outdoors.
"This is another layer of amenity and attraction that ultimately will help appeal to a broader marketplace and continue to be a differentiator for Whistler-Blackcomb in the competitive world of mountain-resort tourism."
The redevelopment proposal, which has been in the works for about four years, includes, in its first $90-million-to-$100-million phase, a year-round indoor centre called the Watershed.
The facility revolves around water-based play and includes water slides, surf simulators and a wave pool. Other separate pieces of the first phase include a suspension bridge and viewing platforms at the peak of Whistler Mountain.
The $105-million-to-$115-million second phase includes a new day lodge and snow-school facility within the Watershed. The $140-million-to-$150-million third phase includes a luxury real estate development at Blackcomb's base area.
The company concedes that the project hinges on municipal and provincial approvals as well as consultation with the Squamish and the Lil'wat First Nations and negotiating a business partnership with those communities.
In a statement, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations said Whistler Blackcomb will require ministry approval for its plans and also need to have them incorporated into the official community plan of the Resort Municipality of Whistler.
Skills Development Minister Shirley Bond, in a statement, said the B.C. government was open to reviewing the proposal, but noted the project is in its "very early stages."
Ms. Bond said First Nations stakeholders will have to be fully consulted. She added that, given the growing revenues and employment in the tourism sector, she was not surprised that Whistler-Blackcomb is looking at expansion.
The Watershed is expected to open within two years of these conditions being met, but full construction for the first two phases will take up to five years.
Whistler Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden said she was supportive. "It's not everyday that somebody decides to invest $345-million into your town," she said in an interview.
She said the municipality is mindful of the issue of "weather independent" facilities. "There's no question that climate change is a reality," she said. "To the extent that there are facilities and activities that are not dependent upon the weather, it provides a great alternative."
Speaking generally, she cited the newly opened Audain Art Museum in Whistler as a "weather independent" attraction in the community.
"We recognize that there are times, and they may become more frequent in the future, where it's just not great to be going skiing or snowboarding, so if there's something else to do, something that's family oriented, then we're very happy about that," she said.
Speaking for the Lil'wat Nation, Ernest Armann said in an e-mailed statement that talks are under way with the province, Regional Municipality of Whistler and the resort operator about the expansion proposal.
"We are hopeful that agreements can be reached to address the Nations' interests in the area and look forward to ongoing discussions," wrote the Lil'wat's chief administrative officer.
Ian Bailey