[All Photos Courtesy Of Renaissance.WhistlerBlackcomb.com]

No longer can ski areas sit idle throughout the non-winter months like they did in the 80’s and 90’s. Now, the four-season resort reigns supreme and nobody knows that better than Whistler Blackcomb.

While Whistler has long been on the cutting edge of this trend with their renowned bike park, golf, and other summer opportunities, a new press release has announced that the biggest resort in North America is moving forward with a $345 million dollar master plan to improve operations year around.

Whistler Blackcomb Renaissance is a multi-year, fully-integrated investment set to diversify Whistler and British Columbia’s tourism economies, provide new four-season, weather-independent activities, and encourage reinvestment into the resort’s core skiing, mountain biking and sightseeing experiences for decades to come.

Principle Concepts

The Watershed: An indoor, four-season, weather-independent adventure centre Blackcomb Adventure Park: New, outdoor, non-skiing attractions and activities On-Mountain Improvements: new chairlifts, restaurant facilities, terrain improvements and snowmaking The Annex: An indoor action-sports complex Blackcomb Base & Base II: Revitalization of Blackcomb’s base areas One Blackcomb Place: Six-Star luxury boutique hotel, residence and club Blackcomb Terrace Townhomes: 55-65 Ski-in/ski-out townhomes

The resort’s strategic investment has been broken into three phases and “is subject to satisfaction of a number of conditions, including municipal and provincial government approvals, as well as the successful renegotiation and extension of Whistler Blackcomb’s Master Development Agreements and Master Plans, the completion of consultations with the Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations and finalization of a proposed business partnership with those First Nations.”

Phase 1 – $90-100 Million

The Watershed, a year-round, indoor adventure center focusing on water-based play located at Blackcomb’s upper base. The Company envisions the Watershed as a 163,000 square foot facility featuring activities like waterslides, the latest deep water surf simulator technology, cliff jumping and rock climbing experiences, a wave pool, hot and cold pools, bowling, food & beverage facilities and retail amenities, as well as other weather-independent activities;

A new high-speed lift to replace the Magic Chair and connect Blackcomb’s upper and lower bases;

A year-round mountain coaster, a tree-top ropes course, and ATV and snowmobile activities for kids;

New snow school learning zones, a night skiing zone, and enhanced snowmaking on Blackcomb Mountain; and

Major improvements to Whistler Blackcomb’s existing sightseeing, hiking and mountain biking experiences, with the addition of a suspension bridge and viewing platforms at the peak of Whistler Mountain, and an expansion of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park into the Creekside zone, including 50 kilometers of new downhill mountain biking trails.

Phase 2 – $105-115 Million

An estimated $105 – $115 million investment in a new day lodge and snow school facility within the Watershed indoor adventure center on Blackcomb Mountain, a two-storey parking complex at Blackcomb’s upper Base II area, and other infrastructure projects to lay the foundation for Renaissance phase three. The Company’s current plans for phase two also include the development and sale of approximately 60 high-end, ski-in ski-out townhomes near the Watershed, totaling approximately 160,000 net saleable square feet.

Phase 3 – $140-150 Million

Olympic Zone: State-of-the-art learning facilities, high-speed chairlift, covered Magic Carpets, terrain enhancements, snowmaking and restaurant facility. Blackcomb Front Side: Increased capacity from Blackcomb Base with two, new, high-speed chairlifts. Catskinner Zone will include high-speed chairlift, trail improvements and snowmaking. Dave Murray/Franz’s Zone: Additional gondola will link Creekside to top of Dave Murray Downhill trail. Children’s Learning Area will be developed at the top of the new gondola and Franz’s Chair will be replaced with a high-speed chairlift. Whistler Westside: Two new high-speed chairlifts servicing Khyber & Bagel Bowl,

An estimated $140 – $150 million investment in a major revitalization of Blackcomb’s base area in the Upper Village, which the Company currently expects to include an upgraded day lodge and skiers’ plaza, a new snow school facility and a luxury real estate development project. Phase three is designed to transform Blackcomb’s base area into a vibrant, upscale village community. The Company anticipates Renaissance phase three will also include major on-mountain improvements such as lift improvements and the development of an indoor action sports training facility designed to expand the Company’s youth development programs in skiing, snowboarding and mountain biking.

Find more information here: Whistler Blackcomb Renaissance