JUMBO RESORT GETS GREEN LIGHT!!

[Bionic Man]

Not really... but these comments by Bill Bennett, British Columbia's Liberal minister, in an article from the latest Ski Canada Magazine were music to my ears.

His comment on the Jumbo's opponents.

"The opponents [of Jumbo] are quite recognizable to me - they oppose every project of forestry, oil, natural gas, mining, resorts - basically anything that comes along."

His comments on the jurisdiction of the project.

"This is a large, provincial project. It's far away from any community."

"We have the final jurisdiction, theres no doubt about that. [Jumbo] has jumped through every hoop. The government could make a decision that the project is clearly in the provincial interest, and that it should not be subjected to any additional hassles."

Its probably safe to say that our chances for an 1800 meter vertical resort in the purcells has increased exponentially. With the construction of the new Cranbrook international airport almost finished it doesnt make sense to hold out any longer.

[MadPatSki]

Not really... but these comments by Bill Bennett, British Columbia's Liberal minister, in an article from the latest Ski Canada Magazine were music to my ears.

We'll see. I'm not going to lose any sleep over this.

[snoboy]

are quite recognizable to me - they oppose every project of forestry, oil, natural gas, mining, resorts - basically anything that comes along."

BS.

45678

[Singel]

Referencing one crappy article on an issue as complicated as this as the basis to determining the current state of the situation seems to be the most logical thing anybody could ever do. Fortunately that guy seems completely impartial and unbiased in the matter, so everything he says can be accepted as fact. Apparently the last 20 years of court battles were completely unnecessary...

[mntlion]

they still have to build 50 km of roads (right now summer only, dirt, one lane, forestry roads) over countless avi paths, build new or reenforce 5 bridges, plus build others for the creeks that just flow over the road now, just so they can start getting machines in to start working on the base area..

Same issues as the Reve for skiers too. Bit better with the crambrook airport being closer but still will be 2 + hours away min, and still have Kimberly, Fernie, Pana, Castle, Kicking horse and some other smaller hills to fight with for the shrinking skier visits


As a skier 2 hours away I like the idea, but I would never be an investor, poor business idea I think

[haydukelives]

could you post a map for the US educated geographically challenged among us

[MadPatSki]

Same issues as the Reve for skiers too. Bit better with the crambrook airport being closer but still will be 2 + hours away min, and still have Kimberly, Fernie, Pana, Castle, Kicking horse and some other smaller hills to fight with for the shrinking skier visits


As a skier 2 hours away I like the idea, but I would never be an investor, poor business idea I think

I agree with Mntlion, there is still a lot to be done. Project of jumbo has been around for a longtime as the Revelstoke/MacKenzie one.

However there are a few big differences;

1) the Jumbo project is much more contraversial than Rev and the opponents are only anti-development gang as the BC minister seems to say.

2) Access to the general location might be easier, however there isn't any current infrastructures to build from as Mount Mackenzie has. We are talking a brand new area, not the Whitetooth turn Kicking Horse Development that the Revelstoke project is.

I, for one, I'm not a fan of creating a brand new ski area on Jumbo glacier. This will only take skiers away from existing areas and move some to Jumbo.

[Bionic Man]

Bit better with the crambrook airport being closer but still will be 2 + hours away min, and still have Kimberly, Fernie, Pana, Castle, Kicking horse and some other smaller hills to fight with for the shrinking skier visits

I am skeptical about the shrinking skier visit. got proof?

First, accessability from the new Cranbrook airport should increase skier visits, especially from europe where the Alps are experiencing unpredictable weather patterns lately.

Second, with the winter olympics coming up it will inevitably bring BC to the world's spotlight. While a great sporting event, its a excellent marketing tool to market the BC skiing industry to the world.

[mntlion]

I was thinking overall, world wide, skier visits. Last time I looked at a SIA info the pie was not getting any bigger, The skier visits pie gets split up different as weather, snow, exchanges rates change, but I think that the overall, worldwide numbers are the same, if not smaller.

No real proof, from this year, that I can show you

[truth]

Jumbo should get a bit more snow that KH, Kimber, LL and Pana though right? I'm not really a fan of the project as that land IMHO is better used by not using it.

[powpig]

As a skier I like the idea of huge new ski area with possible year round access. While it doesn't really seem like a good business plan longterm, changing weather patterns could have an influence. If global warming continues to progress and a dry winter like this in Tahoe becomes the norm, things might look a whole lot different in 15-20 years.

[sherpahigh]

As a skier 2 hours away I like the idea, but I would never be an investor, poor business idea I think

I agree with it being a poor business idea. 2 hrs from banff is a bit optimistic though, maybe on good roads in the summer, but winter on the road up to Pano can be sketchy. It's only hope is as a destination, all year resort attracting overseas visitors, and lots of them.

I'd like to ski there though. We've got a family cabin out near Windermere and I'd like to use it more in the winter. Pano just doesn't do it for me. I will be skiing out in the Jumbo area in 2 weeks though, got hooked up with a pretty good deal for a day in a Heli up there. Can't wait.

[L7]

they still have to build 50 km of roads (right now summer only, dirt, one lane, forestry roads) over countless avi paths, build new or reenforce 5 bridges, plus build others for the creeks that just flow over the road now, just so they can start getting machines in to start working on the base area..

Is it really 50km beyond Panorama???! I thought it was more like 20km up that toby creek road or is it a bunch in beyond the toby road as well? It seems a pretty big dream. I will give the developers credit though. They got the natives on board and the whole thing is being pitched as a joint profit sharing venture with whatever band being operators. That of course brings a whole bunch of gov't cooperation to the table. Not sure it brings a whole lot of efficient operation to the dream but whatever.

Olympics and marketing, I don't think you're going to see Vancouver and Whistler standby and have that thunder redirected. There could be a little overflow as it were but I doubt it will amount to much. If anything the environmentalists may use the platform to sway people against the idea. New development, pristine area, questionable business plan, they could get lots of international media attention I'm sure.

I forgot, as far as shrinking skier market. Worldwide demographics in develop countries would tend to indicate numbers will shrink if they haven't already. That's why so many golf courses are getting built. The demographics would indicate as people age they're less likely to go for riskier more athletic trips and more likely to go for sunny spots with carts and chase balls about on grass.

[mntlion]

yup 48km past pano, up the toby creek, I have takin both the motorbike and the truck into that area.

[Bring On The Snow]

I am skeptical about the shrinking skier visit.

as I am too seeing how whistler has had a record setting number of visitors this year (man the crowds have been disgusting)

then again theve also seen a record setting amount of snow the two usually go hand in hand

[Singel]

The other resorts in East BC/Alberta aren't exactly overflowing with people right now as it is. I'd be surprised if I have waited over 1 minute to get on a lift a half dozen times this year.

And with no previously established population with people working in other industries (banff, fernie, golden, rossland, etc.) there aren't going to be enough locals to support it either since everyone living their will be working for the resort and have a free pass. Most people in Invermere aren't crazy about this, and I can't see them magically deciding to support the area anymore than they do Pano.

[MadPatSki]

I was thinking overall, world wide, skier visits. Last time I looked at a SIA info the pie was not getting any bigger, The skier visits pie gets split up different as weather, snow, exchanges rates change, but I think that the overall, worldwide numbers are the same, if not smaller.

No real proof, from this year, that I can show you

I've also read that North America skier visits is going to drop as the baby boomers are getting older. The sport isn't attracting nearly enough skiers to make up the difference.

[teamdirt]

I'm sure most know about the whole Jumbo environmental issue and all that jazz but I find it kind of ironic that the government secretly put up a summer alpine skiing training facilty with logging roads and permanent structures just over top of the ridge from the proposed Jumbo resort.

Makes you wonder if they really do care for the Jumbo environment. Sure you may say whats the big deal with a few skiers, but the big issue with Jumbo is the grizzly habitat. Now with the new training facility you have exponentially increased the traffic going in and out of the facility and to top that off your dumping sh#t loads of salt into the water system to keep the snow firm so they can train all summer. Does that not disturb the bears habitat and is that not what the biggest hoop the Jumbo resort has had to jump through?

Now to me that really says the goverment does'nt really give a shit about the environment but more about the economy and if the money is there then they will let them eventually go ahead and build the resort, As long as someone has the funds to finance the project it will be good for the economy, you know creating jobs and stuff like that, right? It's just sad, that maybe there won't be enough skier visits to make this work and eventually they have to file for bankruptcy and what they leave behind is this once beautiful valley mangled by man. I'm strongly against the resort myself with the same reasons many of you have expressed. It's just sad to say that one day they will eventually build there.

[powderpyg]

I'm sure most know about the whole Jumbo environmental issue and all that jazz but I find it kind of ironic that the government secretly put up a summer alpine skiing training facilty with logging roads and permanent structures just over top of the ridge from the proposed Jumbo resort.

Makes you wonder if they really do care for the Jumbo environment. Sure you may say whats the big deal with a few skiers, but the big issue with Jumbo is the grizzly habitat. Now with the new training facility you have exponentially increased the traffic going in and out of the facility and to top that off your dumping sh#t loads of salt into the water system to keep the snow firm so they can train all summer. Does that not disturb the bears habitat and is that not what the biggest hoop the Jumbo resort has had to jump through?

Now to me that really says the goverment does'nt really give a shit about the environment but more about the economy and if the money is there then they will let them eventually go ahead and build the resort, As long as someone has the funds to finance the project it will be good for the economy, you know creating jobs and stuff like that, right? It's just sad, that maybe there won't be enough skier visits to make this work and eventually they have to file for bankruptcy and what they leave behind is this once beautiful valley mangled by man. I'm strongly against the resort myself with the same reasons many of you have expressed. It's just sad to say that one day they will eventually build there.

Hear, hear, I'm with you on this one!

One guess, is that the article in Ski Canada was written by George Koch? Wouldn't suprise me if it was, that twit is always tryin to stir shit up.

Also, wasn't Kicking Horse build by Orbelini, the same guy that is proposing Jumbo? I don't believe KH is setting any skier visit records or even doing great guns with their real estate, base area developments. And it is a hell of a lot closer to Cowtown and a real airport.That and now Revi is going thru...lets just slice the pie up a little smaller all the time.

The area is pristine wilderness and should remain that way. In fact it should be Parkland as proposed by many.

[AKWL]

On the Olympics and the whole 'world spotlight' thing - does it really make a difference? Last time I looked, my local travel agent wasn't having a special to Nagano or Lillehammer!

Hosting the winter olympics is cool and all, but Whistler and Vancouver didn't need the publicity. Who in the ski industry has not heard of WB? The Economist et al are always putting Vancouver at the top of the world livability statistics, etc. Hosting the Games will not change either of those facts.

The Olympics are really an incredibly expensive two week party where the rest of the world comes, has a good time, and you wake up the next day with a big hangover.

Calgary, SLC?

[Bionic Man]

Mercanti’s report points to several new trends currently benefiting the industry, including:

A shift in demographics, which should occur within the next five years, meaning 25 to 34 year-olds will now become the majority, as compared to 35 to 44 previously.
Strong growth in higher margined winter apparel benefiting specialty stores.
Evolving technology that is widening interest in winter sports, including adoption of twin-tipped skis, one of the fastest growing equipment categories of late.
The number of winter leisure trips taken increased 15% from 2000 to 2005, and further growth could result if the industry targets its growing consumer segments, including young singles and families with children.
Strong apparel and accessories sales, which during the latest season accounted for 67% of winter sports sales, up 59% from the 1998 season.

http://www.firsttracksonline.com/ind...ticle&sid=1436

[teamdirt]

Also, wasn't Kicking Horse build by Orbelini, the same guy that is proposing Jumbo? I don't believe KH is setting any skier visit records or even doing great guns with their real estate, base area developments. And it is a hell of a lot closer to Cowtown and a real airport.That and now Revi is going thru...lets just slice the pie up a little smaller all the time.

Yes Orbelini is the guy behind Kicking Horse as well as the Halifax Bridge. I do believe that he had to invest certain $ into the Canadian economy inorder for the Jumbo proposal to advance. At least thats the rumor.

[L7]

Yes Orbelini is the guy behind Kicking Horse as well as the Halifax Bridge. I do believe that he had to invest certain $ into the Canadian economy inorder for the Jumbo proposal to advance. At least thats the rumor.

You mean PEI confederation bridge don't you? That is my understanding too, contract for the bridge granted with a clause that a certain amount of money is invested elsewhere in the country for a certain amount of time. Not that different from what is currently being negotiated with Boeing for military aircraft.

[Endlessseason]

I hope it happens before I'm too old to enjoy several annual trips there.

[Singel]

Mercanti’s report points to several new trends currently benefiting the industry, including:

A shift in demographics, which should occur within the next five years, meaning 25 to 34 year-olds will now become the majority, as compared to 35 to 44 previously.

I think that first point is more indicative of a declining skier market. Depending when these demo's were determined, the 35-44's would probably have vastly outnumbered the younger generation as the trail end of baby boomers. And resorts make their money off of 35-44 year olds, because they have higher discretionary income, can afford to bring their entire families for week long ski vacations, in which the little ones often spend more time and money in the lodge than skiing on the slopes. The new younger generation will probably be daytripper/passholder/weekend warrior types, who bring a bag lunch, ski all day, and if the resort is lucky will have a beer or two at the end of the day...the article may be correct that the ski apparel industry will remain strong, but that doesn't mean anything about the ski industry as a whole.

Bionic Man do you ever think critically about anything you read? I'll bet if I sent you some nazi propaganda articles you would start to believe that Jews need to be wiped out. It's written in a book/magazine so its gotta be true