Big White / Canada

$127.9 Million Expansion To Big White Ski Resort Will Include New Lifts, Runs, Terrain Park , and Luxury Accommodations

Kelowna, BC: Big White Ski Resort Ltd. announced today a massive summer construction project scheduled for completion prior to the start of the 2004-2005 winter season. $127.9 million is the total value that will be spent on infrastructure and luxury accommodation and will include two new chair lifts, a state-of-the-art ski and snowboard terrain park, new on-mountain day lodge including viewing deck, six new intermediate and advanced runs expanding the resort skiable terrain by 200 acres, two new grooming machines, and luxury resort accommodation bringing the total on-mountain bed base total to over 14,000 beds.

"What a day it is for our customers and residents of the Okanagan Valley." said Michael J. Ballingall, Senior Vice President, Big White Ski Resort Ltd. "These new facilities, runs, and grooming machines will enhance our world-wide reputation and enable athletes to train for Olympic glory." continued Ballingall. The Schumann family, owners of Big White and Silver Star Resorts located in the Okanagan Valley, are committed to providing world-class skiing and snowboarding at affordable prices.

"Our commitment to family entertainment and affordable vacation packages are the foundations for our company's success." said Peter Schumann, President of Big White Ski Resort Ltd. "Today we are happy to announce projects that will enhance our customer's enjoyment of the resort. We're all about creating a fun family winter wonderland." continued Schumann.

TELUS Park Terrain Park:

The new TELUS Park Terrain Park area will centralize our snowboard and ski park, rail garden, half pipes, boarder/skier-cross, and our fun family race area. It will be one of the best training facilities for snowboard and free skiing in North America. The park will incorporate an Olympic size 450 foot-long Super Pipe with 17-foot transitional walls that meets World Cup FIS and X Games standards. Other features will include a regular-sized Half Pipe with 12' walls, 450 feet in length; an intermediate terrain and rail park; an Advanced Combined Terrain and Rail Park; a Boarder/Skier -Cross Course capable of hosting Olympic FIS qualifying events; World Cup Ski and Snowboard Events, and X games qualifiers and National Championships. To compliment and help build these features, there will be snowmaking throughout the park area. This will allow the features and half pipes to be opened earlier in the season. This area will also be the home to 2010 go for the Gold Fun race course with lanes for skiers and snowboarders. Overlooking all of these venues will be a on-mountain lodge with food and beverage facilities, a large out door deck and washroom facilities. Servicing this entire area will be a 1800' double chair for fast turn around times, allowing more and better training, convenience, and a great view of competitors and events. The park will also be lit for night skiing and riding, making it a truly one of kind facility. The lighting will provide another venue for fun evening activity and great training. "This area will provide something for everyone from kids and families to world class athletes. We've been moving in this direction for a long time and now it is a reality!" said Flynn Seddon, Director of Snowboarding.

Cost: $2.5 million

New Cliff Chair:

A project much talked about and anticipated is coming this summer. The Cliff will see construction of a Double Chair to allow both skiers and snowboarders better access and turn around times to our famous 'Cliff Area.' Diagram outlining location below. The lift will be approximately 1800' long, 8 towers, with a vertical drop of 800'. Along with this construction, the area boundary will be expanded to include the East Peak! "This is a tremendously exciting project for both local and destination skiers and snowboarders alike. I know a lot of people have talked about this for years and now it's here," expressed Blair Ireland, Director of Guest Services.

Cost: $1 million

New Runs at Gem Lake:

To the west of Blue Ribbon off the Gem Lake Express, six new intermediate runs will be cut this summer. This will add just under 200 acres of skiable terrain and increase our overall skiable terrain to just under 2800 acres. Adding more intermediate terrain to Gem Lake will make this area more attractive to both Kelowna area skiers/snowboarders and vacationers, and increase the variety of trails. This is the first phase of expansion of the Gem Lake area, with more to come in the future.

Cost: $500,000

New Grooming Machines:

To help groom and maintain all of these new areas, Big White Ski Resort Ltd. is happy to announce the purchase of two additional grooming machines. Slope grooming not only maintains runs, covers terrain with snow, and makes bumps flat, but also lays down a 'carpet of corduroy' finish. The machines also groom and cut the halfpipes, build the terrain park features, construct the Boarder/Skier-Cross, and maintain them all. Big White Ski Resort has received various awards for high quality grooming and has a world-class reputation for its half pipes. Big White added two grooming machines to its fleet last year.

Cost: $500,000

Summer Grooming:

The on-hill summer grooming program continues with more improvement to ensure great early season skiing.
On-hill Summer Grooming, cost: $300,000

Bigger Planes to Kelowna:

Along with the new infrastructure, Horizon Air has announced larger planes to service Kelowna from Seattle. The Q400, 70 seater aircraft will effectively double the passenger capacity of Saturdays and Sundays. Scheduled departure times on Saturdays and Sundays from Seattle are at approximately 10:30am and 2:30pm to allow connections from many western and eastern gateway cities. Kelowna International Airport is the 11th busiest airport in Canada.

Real Estate:

The Big White Real Estate market continues its torrid pace. Over 1,000 beds will be constructed this summer in various on-mountain developments. This will bring the bed base to over 14,000 on-mountain beds. Some of the highlights will be:

Trailside - 51 units............................................................................................$15 million
Sundance - 31 units..........................................................................................$12.4 million
Spyglass - 12 quarter shares.............................................................................$ 6 million
The Timbers - 19 units .....................................................................................$ 8.5 million
The Aspens, Phase 3 - 49 units.........................................................................$ 23.5 million
Perfection Ridge - Phase 3 - 8 units...................................................................$ 4.5 million
5050 Snowbird Drive, 18 units..........................................................................$ 7.5 million
Solitude, Phase 1 - 10 units...............................................................................$ 4.7 million
The Forest, 6 units............................................................................................$ 3 million
Rock Ridge, 4 units..........................................................................................$ 8 million
Towering Pines, 12 units...................................................................................$ 5 million
The Crescent, 10 units......................................................................................$ 4 million
Glacier Lodge, 18 units.....................................................................................$ 6 million
Copper Kettle, 28 units....................................................................................$15 million

Total Accommodation Investment: $123.1 million

Total investment at Big White Ski Resort for the summer of 2004 is $127.9 million

Big White / Canada Opens Cutting-Edge Terrain Park

Big White officially opens TELUS Park, designed for snowboarders and skiers of all levels.

Michael J. Ballingall, Senior Vice President, Schumann Resorts for Big White & Silver Star Ski Resort’s, says TELUS Park will be an ideal site for both recreational and Olympic-calibre competitions, and a great place to just hang out and ride.

“This facility will truly put Big White on the map of the top snowboarders and freeskiers,” Ballingall says.  “With the 2010 Olympics on the horizon, TELUS Park will become a hugely important venue for BC Provincial development team riders – indeed, anyone wishing to pursue their own Olympic dream. Big White’s central location makes it the perfect choice for riders to come and hone their skills, while locals gain easy access to a world-class terrain park.”

Kevin White, TELUS’s director for the Interior region of B.C., says most all of the company’s Okanagan-based employees are avid skiers and snowboarders who look forward to spending fun-filled times with family and friends at the local mountain .

“As both a skier and snowboarder myself, I know TELUS Park will be a great way to get the most out of the mountain depending on how energetic you feel on the day,” White says. “TELUS’s sponsorship is an investment in the Okanagan and I expect it will make a tangible difference to amateur and elite skiers and snowboarders alike.  Big White Ski Resor  is an affordable, family-focused resort that allows top riders and skiers to train and compete in a distraction-free environment.”

Big White and TELUS’s concept is to provide an inclusive, all-in-one skiing and snowboarding experience. This extensive facility will be serviced by its own lift and lighted for night-time sessions. The terrain park features will be suitable for everyone from kids and families to Olympic-calibre athletes.

The TELUS Park includes:

• An Olympic-size 500 foot-long super pipe with 17-foot transitional walls that meets FIS World Cup and X Games standards.
• A regulation-sized half pipe with 12 walls, 400 feet in length
• A boarder/skier-cross course that can be tuned to run regional, national, and even World Cup events, yet is also suitable for recreational riders.
• In the rail park, separate beginner/intermediate and intermediate/advanced lanes combined with rails and hits so that riders can learn at their own pace.

Keeping things smooth and the landings plush will be the job of Big White’s brand new 2005 Zaugg Pipe Monster. This world-class pipe groomer has been used at the Olympics, X-Games, and the Vans Triple Crown of Snowboarding to turn out the best super pipes in the world. Artificial snowmaking will provide an ample base when Mother Nature fails to cooperate.

The TELUS Park will be serviced by an 1,800 foot long, 500 vertical foot double chair that will float riders over the entire park, giving them an eagle’s eye view.