Silver Star Mountain Resort Announces Expansions

A record-breaking season for skier-visits at Silver Star Mountain Resort has given the ‘green light’ to the much-anticipated Silver Woods expansion for the winter of 2005-2006!

The official announcement of the Silver Woods expansion took place Saturday, Feb. 19 in the Village at Silver Star Mountain Resort. Visiting dignitaries included the Honorable Tom Christensen, MLA for Okanagan-Vernon and BC’s Minister of Education, and the Honorable Patty Sahota, BC’s Minister of State for Resort Development. Representing Schumann Resorts will be Mr. Des Schumann, Mr. Michael J. Ballingall, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Resort Services, Mr. Paul Plocktis, Vice President for Real Estate and Development, and representing Silver Star will be Jane Cann, President of Silver Star Ski Resort Ltd., and Mr. Michael Sherwood, CGA, General Manager of Silver Star Ski Resort Ltd. Canada West Ski Areas Association CEO Jimmie Spencer was also in attendance.

Skiers and snowboarders visiting this intimate, family-friendly Northern Okanagan resort will now have over 400 acres of new ski terrain to explore next season, serviced by a $4.5 million Leitner-Poma high-speed detachable quad. The vertical drop in this area will be 341 meters (1,120 vertical feet) with seven new trails and gladded ‘tree islands’ that will offer fabulous champagne powder skiing on north-east facing slopes. The lift will top out on the current Roller Coaster trail, and would further extend the Vance Creek’s vertical drop by about 130 meters (429 vertical feet) below the base of the Comet Express. The high-speed quad will whisk skiers and snowboarders to the top in less than five minutes! Silver Wood’s terrain mix will be 80 percent intermediate and 20 percent beginner.

The first phase of Silver Star’s luxurious Snowbird Lodge in the Village Centre will also open next season and is on-sale now. This is the first five-star accommodation to be introduced at Silver Star in some time, and amenities include the 24-seat Snowbird Theatre, a fitness room, kids play room, family lounge with billiards, swimming pool and hot tub with viewing lounge, and an all-season patio. The building will feature an entry lobby and fireside meeting place; owner and guest check-in reception; heated underground parking; over-height parking for SUV’s; equipment locker and wax room with direct slope access; mountain bike maintenance and secure storage; and digital entry security with video surveillance. The first 53 homes will be ready for occupancy by December 1, 2005 and Phase Two will be completed by December 1, 2007. Priority registration is taking place now for a Private Selection Event to be held in March.

Silver Star Mountain Resort also announced that the Comet Express, Canada’s largest six-passenger chairlift, will be open daily from July 1 to Sept. 5, 2005 for summer mountain bike operations and scenic rides. A massive expansion of the existing bike park is being developed and a number of new trails are planned to be ready in time for the July 1 opening. There will be five dedicated staff members to build the new trails and bike park features to beginner, intermediate and expert standards. The expansion of mountain bike trails and the operation of the Comet Six-Pack marks an additional $300,000 commitment by Silver Star and will give users access to over 1,800 vertical feet of mountain biking terrain. The high-speed detachable lift will be fitted with roll-on bike carriers and will have a ride-time of 7.5 minutes.

The Schumann family has invested in excess of $39 million since their November 2001 purchase of Silver Star Mountain Resort, near Vernon, BC. After the initial purchase, further capital expenditures have included over $15 million in lift infrastructure, $4.5 million in resort services including new restaurants, a new retail shop, substantial reshaping of ski runs, grooming equipment, earthworks for parking and well drilling, preparation and development of fully-serviced five star accommodation lots to attract international visitors, reshaping the beginner ski area and the tube park, and maintaining and upgrading existing buildings. An additional $75 million (retail value) will be injected into the local economy in new accommodation and investors from around the world are showing great interest in purchasing these new Resort 5-star homes.