Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s Updated Master Plan has been approved by the province. (Liam Harrap/Revelstoke Review)

Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s Updated Master Plan has been approved by the province. (Liam Harrap/Revelstoke Review)

Revelstoke Mountain Resort pushing expansion of summer activities

Updated Master Plan outlines near-term priorities including staff housing and a golf course

Staff housing, expanding summer offerings and three new lifts are priorities for Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s next ten years, according to the updated Resort Master Plan.

Approved by the province earlier this month, Peter Nielsen, vice president of operations for the resort, presented the highlights of the plan to Revelstoke City Council on May 28.

A mock-up of what the proposed new hotel at Revelstoke Mountain Resort would look like. It is across the road from Sutton Place. A separate development permit will be needed for the overhead walkway. (File photo)

The document looks back on development that has happened over the past ten years, which totalled more than $200 million in investments from the ownership group, as well as the plans the resort has for the next ten years.

First in the village is the construction of the new hotel, which will potentially begin this year, alongside that is Phase 1 of a staff accommodation development. Nielsen said the resort will be looking for a development permit for staff accommodation this summer.

READ MORE: Revelstoke City Council approves new resort hotel ‘in principal’

The master plan document outlines a 9.19 Ha, minimum three building staff accommodation development in the Lower Village with 150-200 bed units per building, lockers and office space for Resort Operations. That land will also be used for staff and public parking.

On-mountain winter development priorities include increasing lift capacity of the gondolas and the chairs as well as construction of new lifts both to access new terrain and to increase lift capacity.

The current and planned lifts at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. (RMR Update Master Plan)

The first priority is Lift 11, which is currently under construction and will create access to more beginner terrain as well as an easier connection to the Ripper Chair.

Next is Lift 18, which will expand the resort’s intermediate alpine terrain by 160 Ha into the South Bowl, and Lift 13 into the North Bowl that will provide access to advanced high-alpine terrain.

Phase three lifts include Lift 15, Lift 6 and Lift 3 that will increase access from the village but won’t open up any new terrain.

“These development timelines are estimates and will be ultimately be decided by market trends and demands,” Nielsen said.

Summer developments on the mountain will focus on growing attractions to build an all season resort.

With the soft opening of lift-access mountain biking this summer, the resort will be building two more downhill trails to open next summer.

READ MORE: Revelstoke Mountain Resort featured on The Price is Right

Phase two of the mountain biking development includes six trails to be accessed from the top of the gondola, a machine built green, blue and black run and single track blue, black and red trails.

Nielsen said that they intend to not only offer downhill biking but also cross-country mountain biking that will potentially connect with the Mt. Cartier and Sunnyside trails.

He added that the resort is working with the Revelstoke Cycling Association on a Memorandum of Understanding, saying that the association is concerned about the resort monetizing their trails and the resort is concerned about the trails being safe and built to standard.

This summer will see the addition of an aerial park and an expansion to the disc-golf course and Nielsen said the resort plans to construct 1-2 new attractions for next summer as well, though they are still in the planning phase.

READ MORE: Mountain biking and aerial adventures coming to Revelstoke Mountain Resort

The golf course RMR has planned. (RMR Updated Master Plan)

The resort also hopes to start clearing land for their golf course this summer so they can begin construction next summer. The 18 hole course is situated along Camozzi Rd, and will require the road to be redirected, however golfers will most likely not cross the road, but there will be a tunnel underneath, Nielsen said.

“Part of the keys around this experience is that you want to have minimal interaction with anything that is not natural, that includes roads and houses and things like that,” he said.

Though housing developments around the golf course are part of the plan, they will not be next to the greens, Nielsen said.

The resort is also planning to build a hotel that caters specifically to the golf course.

Overall the master plan outlines several areas for future residential development.

READ MORE: New president appointed to Revelstoke Mountain Resort

“[Revelstoke Alpine Village Inc.] will not be proceeding with development of any additional real estate in the Lower Village until a significant percentage of the surplus real estate is sold, and the market demand for quality resort real estate improves,” the Master Plan reads. “There are currently 25 lots, 120 condo units and 400 acres of land that remain unsold.”

WATCH: Branching out: Learning to ski at Revelstoke Mountain Resort

See the full plan here.


 

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