VANCOUVER—The sale of a beloved B.C. ski resort was such a closely guarded secret that even the outgoing owner’s brother — who owns his own, nearby ski resort — wasn’t told, says an executive at one of the sites.

SilverStar Mountain Resort in the Okanagan announced Tuesday morning that it had been bought by Powdr, an American company that operates a chain of ski resorts in the United States.

It’s the latest change in B.C.’s rapidly evolving ski resort scene — and one that will determine the future of a smaller resort that has long been considered by many to be an Okanagan treasure.

The owners of Big White Ski Resort, a two-hour drive away, admitted they were caught off-guard by the sale.

“We found out at 6 a.m. this morning, when the sister texted the brother,” said Michael J. Ballingall, senior vice-president at Big White. Ballingall has been with the company since Desmond Schumann bought the ski resort in 1985, and nearby SilverStar in 2002. Some years before Schumann’s death in 2012, he gave Big White to his son, Peter Schumann, and SilverStar to his daughter, Jane Cann.

“This came as a surprise to everyone.”

SilverStar and Big White are located in the heart of B.C.’s interior ski country. Big White is the bigger of the two, and is one of the most well known ski resorts in the province.

But SilverStar’s more intimate nature is part of its appeal.

That’s what made SilverStar attractive to Powdr, according to spokesperson Megan Baroska, senior vice-president of strategy and communication.

“It’s a local favourite and because of its authentic community vibes, SilverStar also attracts destination guests, including those adventure seekers from around the world,” she said. “We are excited and committed to working with the SilverStar team to continue the vision that Jane started.”

Balancing community interests and the need to attract tourists is a favourite topic of discussion among those in the ski industry, said Christopher Nicolson, president and CEO of Canada West Ski Area Association.

The majority of the 37 ski resorts in B.C. are still Canadian owned, he said. But many of the larger, destination ski resorts don’t have a choice if they want to remain competitive, he added. For instance, Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort is American-owned and Sun Peaks is Japanese-owned.

“Do you enjoy the new lifts or do you enjoy the new terrain? Because those things don’t happen without the added investment,” said Nicolson. “In some cases it’s a catch-22.”

Jamie Rykuiter, 19, has been skiing in B.C.’s mountains since she was four years old.

SilverStar is unique, she said.

“I’ve skied there all my life,” she said. “I’ve skied in many other mountains, but going up there is like going home.”

SilverStar is more family-friendly than some of the larger resorts, said Rykuiter. She works at Attridge Ski & Board, one of the oldest ski shops in the nearby town of Vernon.

“I hope we can keep that energy. It’s a beautiful little spot.”

Big White is still independently owned and operated, and has managed to continue investing in the resort in recent years, installing high-speed quad chairs, upgrading the bunny hill and building a new “central reservations” building. Like many large ski resorts, it has even added a mountain-bike offering in the summer months. But the bike park alone was a $6-million investment, Ballingall said.

A large acquisition such as POWDR taking over SilverStar keeps everyone on their toes, he added.

He said he expects there will be significant changes coming to Big White’s competitor — companies don’t buy ski resorts to simply maintain what was already there, he said.

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“They’re going to buy it to expand it, invest in it. And the focus on shiny new toys brings the focus of the world,” he said.

And that’s a good thing for all the ski resorts in the Okanagan, Ballingall said.

“This will bring an amazing amount of eyeballs into our region.”

Powdr is a Utah-based company that owns more than a dozen mountain resorts in the U.S. and, now, one in Canada.

But SilverStar is assuring customers not much will change at the resort — not immediately, anyway.

The resort was named the most affordable ski resort in B.C. earlier this year by HomeToGo, a vacation rental site. Lift ticket prices will remain the same this season, said Ian Jenkins, director of sales and marketing at SilverStar.

“I don’t think (guests) will see any changes immediately and hopefully in the future there will be some development and growth that makes sense for the community and the resort.”

Jenkins, who has worked with ski resorts for the past 27 years, acknowledged the industry in B.C. has changed dramatically in the past two decades.

Numerous acquisitions have meant the growth of the “resort experience” in many parts of B.C., he said.

“But I think in many ways the change has been positive and it gets more people out on the slopes.”

Ballingall agreed. It doesn’t matter where the person is skiing. If they are out on the mountain in -10 C weather, they are a potential customer, he said.

“In my business, if somebody is going skiing today, they are a potential customer of mine tomorrow,” he said.

“It’s when they stop skiing — that’s when we get nervous.”

Correction — Dec. 5, 2019: This article was edited from a previous version that misspelled Peter Schumann’s surname. As well, the previous version mistakenly said Peter Schumann bought Big White in 1985 and Jane Cann bought SilverStar in 2002. In fact, Desmond Schumann bought the two ski resorts and later transferred ownership to his son, Peter, and his daughter, Jane.

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