Geoffrey Scotton
Sun
INVERMERE — The new owner of the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort plans a $1-billion makeover of the historic and iconic Columbia Valley complex that includes new hotels, a high-end spa, commercial development, residential development and eventually, scheduled air service to the facility’s 6,200-foot airstrip south of Invermere.
“It’s close to a billion dollars when we’re finished. It’s a big project,” Ken Fowler says. “Picture this as a mini-Okanagan. It’s a 25-year project.”
The plans will begin with up to 50 new large residential mountain view lots north of the current development and eventually encompass a relocation of the existing public hot pools, an expansion of the main hotel, a doubling of the resort’s ski area’s vertical to just under 2,000 feet, construction of a high-end hotel and spa, condominiums and residences, changes to the golf course, creation of an upper village centre and development of a commercial and community hub with an indoor-outdoor water park at the resort’s main entrance from Hwy 93.
“This mountain village is going to be unique and very much atuned, like a Whistler. It’s going to become a healthy-sized community,” Fowler said. “Picture 4,000 to 5,000 doors, I would say.”
© The Vancouver Sun 2007
