Whitewater sold to Knee Deep Development of Calgary

[ryank]

Wow. Never thought I'd see this happen.

For Immediate Release

Date: August 11, 2008
Contact: Brian Cusack
Whitewater Ski Resort
250.354.4944
__________________________________________________ ______________________

Pending Change of Ownership for Whitewater Ski Resort

Mike and Shelley Adams are very pleased to announce that they have accepted an offer for the pending sale of Whitewater Ski Resort to a Calgary based company, Knee Deep Development Corp. The sale will be finalized at the end of August after a standard period of due diligence with the new owners taking over the resort operations on the 31st.

Mike and Shelley have been involved with Whitewater since 1985 and have worked hard to find a group of like minded owners that will take the area to the next level. “We are very pleased with what we are hearing from this new group and feel that we are leaving Whitewater in good hands” says Mike.

The new owners, Dean Prodan, Andrew Kyle and Mitch Putnam, all based in Calgary, are enthusiastic supporters of Whitewater and fully recognize the importance of Whitewater to the local Nelson economy. The group intend to move forward with the Master Development Agreement that is already in place but as avid skiers appreciate the uniqueness of the area and will work towards maintaining Whitewater’s culture.

The first step has been to appoint a new General Manager, Brian Cusack. A long time Nelson resident, Brian comes with an impressive resume in the ski industry. Most recently employed as the GM at Castle Mountain, just outside Pincher Creek, Alberta, he comes to Whitewater with a strong background in ski area development and is looking forward to a much shorter commute!

Further details will be released once the new ownership is in place.

[Tye 1on]

Better than Intrawest?

[ryank]

I have to admit, when I saw the press release title, I was thinking, "Please, please, please, not RCR".

[Eldo]

I have to admit, when I saw the press release title, I was thinking, "Please, please, please, not RCR".

Hah. They don't have the money to properly run the resorts they already own. No chance of them expanding the evil empire.

[DyingToLiveToSki]

Ya but the first, cheap developments are gladeing of backside and a whitewater sponsered backside bus, that is going to kill a lot of good lines...it was bad enough to put sproulers on the map back in the day...without backside, there will be a lot of sinners lost

[Rusty Nails]

I will definitely be interested to hear what the new owners have to say about it.

[ryank]

Someone told me that new development is more or less barred at Whitewater because it's a caribou migratory route... any truth to this?

I also heard the price. Let's just say it's not enough to buy a larger house in Southern California.

[davep]

As long as they dont mess with the cafeteria...

[Rusty Nails]

As long as they dont mess with the cafeteria...

Amen to that.

[addict]

Wow! Big news, I don't know Brian, but the expansion at Castle, and the recent handling of it, have been good. Really hope this works out well. I know Mike and Shelley have ahad a lot of offers over the years, lets hope they made a wise choice, either way I'm nervous....

Not sure about the caribou thing, I thinnk a more important factor is that the most logical expansion would go into the Nelson water catchement area.

[rippah]

As long as they dont mess with the cafeteria...

Unfortunately, as I recall, the cafeteria was Shelly's deal. If she's gone...
?

r.

[powderpyg]

Unfortunately, as I recall, the cafeteria was Shelly's deal. If she's gone...
?

r.

That would be correct.

[powderpyg]

I also heard the price. Let's just say it's not enough to buy a larger house in Southern California.

That's cus it's basically a large house at the base of Ymir Peak. The two lifts are almost as old as the hills they serve and will surely have to be replaced soon. The only thing they really get is the tennure and Whitewater's reputation for snow. Lots and lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$ will have to be spent to really upgrade. Hopefully that will be done without killing the feel the hill has now. Mike hasn't sunk anything into the hill since he bought the old Olive Chair from Whistler years ago and renamed it the Silver King (I'm sure that cost big bucks). Can't say this is a surprise to me.

[PlayHarder]

Damn Calgarians buying up the Kootenays.
Seems to have done a decent job of keeping the feel of Castle intact through the expansion, hopefully can do the same again.

[snoboy]

Unfortunately, as I recall, the cafeteria was Shelly's deal. If she's gone...

Yeah, but the new owners can just buy the recipe book at the bookstore.

[Telecaster]

The new owners have some pretty deep pockets and are in their late 40's. Dean Prodan, a stock broker purports that he co-founded one of Murray Edwards' companies First Energy Capital Corporation (although this is not true, F.E. was founded by Edwards, Brett Wilson, Jim Davidson and Rick Grafton.) Mitch Putnam, a geologist claims to have co-founded 3 oil and gas companies and Andrew Kyle made a dot-com fortune by selling Calgary telephone company startup 'Metronet' to A,T&T for $7 billion back in 1999. What they know about skiing remains to be seen. I just hope they were not mentored by Murray Edwards or you can expect many 'new' 20 year old lifts to show up on the hill, ticket prices and season passes to skyrocket and a plate of nachos to set you back 18 bucks.

[powfreak]

Cool. So that's where Brian ended up. Brian's a standup guy in my books. He used to coach us racing a looooong time ago at Westcastle. I can't say that i think the development of Castle was completely a good thing, but it was likely necessary in this day and age (and likely what Whitewater will have to do).

[eldereldo]

Maybe their 2002 expansion plans will get rolling....

At least Zrinko didn't get wind of this and buy the place....

[JR]

Long time.........

I think I agree with many when I say it will be a good thing. Maybe they will spend some money and access some of the terrain in their "master plan". It will certainly change the flavour of the place and kill a lot of secret spots and great off piste touring but I honestly haven't skied there for years on or off piste.

The list of things that could be improved at Whitewater is long. Sure it is a charming mom and pop operation and I have loved skiing there over the years but I think that a change of ownership and direction could be a fantastic thing for the area.

In response the Caribou question, the existing resort already has a large area in their development plan and I believe that it is all sewn up with the Integrated Land Management Bureau (ILMB). Most of the area designated Caribou habitat is south of this area. One of the largest chunks of privately owned land in BC was just purchased by the Nature Conservancy of Canada and is just south of Whitewater. Much of that area will be managed as habitat for Caribou, Grizzlies and other wildlife. Pretty cool. The previous owner pretty much gave it away for 125 million. The Nature Conservancy is still 35 million shy so if you feel generous..................

I know that Snowwater Lodge has operated in this area when it was owned by the German company Pluto Darkwoods Forestry. I wonder if he will get the boot with the ownership change.

Anyhow, lots of change in that neck of the woods. I would far rather see the existing ski hill developed to its potential than see another god damned cat-ski outfit.

JR

[JoshG]

Anyone know if passes at Red will still be good at Whitewater? I read on line that in the past they were reciprocal. Thanks...I'd love to be a pass holder out there.

[Beaver]

They weren't reciprocal but you got half price at the one you didn't have a pass at if you showed your pass from the other.

Did that make sense?

[nesta]

Wow! Big news, I don't know Brian, but the expansion at Castle, and the recent handling of it, have been good. Really hope this works out well. I know Mike and Shelley have ahad a lot of offers over the years, lets hope they made a wise choice, either way I'm nervous....

Not sure about the caribou thing, I thinnk a more important factor is that the most logical expansion would go into the Nelson water catchement area.

Don't think Brian has been at Castle for a while and I'm not sure if he had much to do with their current expansion, but I'm guessing not.
Yeah the food at WH2O was Shelly's deal, but I don't see why it would disappear as it is, considering anyone get the recipes in Whitewater Cooks. They may not all be in the book, but surely there's someone out there with a little imagination and culinary skills.
As for Murray Edwards and RCR, Eldo, I don't think Murray is lacking any $$, he just doesn't like to part with it very easily.

[JoshG]

They weren't reciprocal but you got half price at the one you didn't have a pass at if you showed your pass from the other.

Did that make sense?

Yeah that makes sense. I was reading the powdermag.com resort guide, guess their info is wrong or outdated.

Looks like you are from CA but any experience with how many people are crossing the border to get to Red or Whitewater on the weekends from US? I'd be coming from North of Spokane area.

I hope the new owners keep the charm of Whitewater that I have always heard about....I think its can be really hard to see change coming to ski areas you love the way they are....I know my favorite mtns here are both under new owners and the future is cloudy. (i just hope those clouds mean snow)

[ryank]

Yeah that makes sense. I was reading the powdermag.com resort guide, guess their info is wrong or outdated.

Looks like you are from CA but any experience with how many people are crossing the border to get to Red or Whitewater on the weekends from US? I'd be coming from North of Spokane area.

I hope the new owners keep the charm of Whitewater that I have always heard about....I think its can be really hard to see change coming to ski areas you love the way they are....I know my favorite mtns here are both under new owners and the future is cloudy. (i just hope those clouds mean snow)

Josh,

Our skier traffic from Spokane/Washington is there on the weekends - there will be Washington plates scattered throughout the parking lot. At the risk of revealing our demographics, we have a number of passholders from your area, as well as day ticket purchasers.

In other words, CBSA/Customs won't bat an eye if you tell them you're going to Red to ski for the day/weekend.