Whistler/Blackcomb To Build Water Park, New Lifts, Double Size of Bike Park With $345 Million

Whistler Blackcomb just announced a long term strategic plan called Renaissance which includes a $345 million dollar investment into new and existing infrastructure around the resort. The audacious plan will take place in three phases, and will "add year-round attractions and activities, see major on-mountain winter and summer improvements, and revitalize Blackcomb's upper and lower base areas."

Phase #1: New Ways to Play

The principle developments of the Renaissance strategic plan. Whistler/Blackcomb photo. 

The first phase of the plan, budgeted at $90-100 million, is all about creating new, year-round, weather-independent recreational opportunities for visitors. This includes the Watershed indoor water park, which is proposed to be more than 160,000 square feet and sport waterslides, cliff jumps, a deep-water surf simulator, a wave pool, rock climbing walls, and bowling alley.

Construction on new mountain bike trails at Creekside, which started last year, will potentially double the size of the Whistler Bike Park. Laurence Crossman-Emms photo.

Whistler also plans to add up to  40-50km of singletrack in the next 4-5 years, a process that's begun on the Creekside area of Blackcomb Mountain and which would double the size of the resort's current (and already enormous) bike park, concreting Whistler Blackcomb as the biggest mountain bike park in the world.

Jay Peak Resort in Vermont opened up the Pump House water park back in 2011. Jay Peak photo.

Whistler is not the first mountain resort to propose building a year round indoor recreation facility at the base area. In Vermont, Jay Peak opened up a massive indoor water park in December, 2011. Also in 2011, SVSH Capital Partners, the owner of Squaw Valley, proposed a 132,000 square foot water park as part of new developments. Some locals adamantly opposed the water park, especially because the region has suffered from chronic droughts. 

Phase #2 and #3: Transform and Revitalize

The Three Phases In Brief Summary. Whistler/Blackcomb photo. 

The second two phases, which will incorporate the remaining $245 million of the investment, will improve upon and add to the commercialized base areas of Whistler and Blackcomb. This includes 55-65 ski in/ski out townhomes, a six-star boutique luxury hotel, club and residence, and new restaurant and shopping facilities. 

Included in phase three is the expansion the resort's existing indoor bike training facility to one that can support snowboard, ski, and skateboard athletes as well.

Whistler/Blackcomb is also planning a host of new lifts to both mountains. Whistler/Blackcomb photo.

Whistler also plans to build out a number of new lifts across both mountains, including a new high-speed lift and magic carpet at the Olympic Zone, two new high-speed lifts on Blackcomb's frontside: one from the base and another in the Catskinner zone. 

Whistler Mountain will get an extra gondola to link to the Creekside base village to the top of the Dave Murray Downhill. Franz's Chair will be replaced with a high-speed lift, and two more high-speed chairs will access Khyber and Bagel Bowls.

According to a press release made by Whistler/Blackcomb, the Renaissance monster project must satisfy numerous conditions before construction can begin, including government approvals and negotiations of business partnerships with the Squamish and Lil'wat First Nations. Whistler "expects to open the Watershed to the public within two years of the conditions being met". 

About The Author

Follow

stash member Pyper Dixon

Alaskan native. I moved to Bozeman, Montana to study skiing and paragliding at MSU, but somehow ended up with a Land Management degree. Now I live in Jackson, where I can continue my ski education without the distractions of school.