Whistler Blackcomb Has Long-Term Plans for the Whole Family
In the future, you may see very different villages when you arrive at either Whistler or Blackcomb Mountain. Located at the end of the Sea to Sky Highway in British Columbia, the resort area is approximately two hours from Vancouver. The drive to the mountains offers scenic views of Howe Sound and passes Shannon Falls Provincial Park. What you find at the end of the drive now is a world class winter resort, but there is a plan named Renaissance that will see more than $345 M invested there in three phases. Whistler Blackcomb’s long-term plans are the biggest investment in the history of the BC resort.
Phase One will create the Watershed in Blackcomb’s Upper Base. It will be a 163,000 square foot indoor space featuring all kinds of water fun, including a standing wave machine. It will also include cliff jumping, rock climbing, bowling, restaurants and shops. The plan for the Watershed is to provide year-round entertainment no matter what the weather. Other plans for Phase One call for a year-round mountain coaster, a suspension bridge, and viewing platforms at the peak of Whistler Mountain. Improvements to hiking and biking trails are in the works which include 50 kilometers of new downhill mountain biking trails.
Phase Two consists of upgrading the Watershed by adding a snow school and a day lodge. There will be a two-story parking garage at Blackcomb’s Upper Base II area, and infrastructure projects to lay the foundation for Phase Three.
Phase Three will reveal 60 high-end ski-in/ski-out townhomes near the Watershed, and a major revitalization of the Upper Village at Blackcomb. Upgrades to the skier’s plaza and day lodge have already been laid out, along with a new snow school. There will be lift improvements and the development of an indoor action sports training facility designed to expand youth development programs in skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking.
Whistler Blackcomb Holdings states that Renaissance is subject to a number of conditions including municipal and provincial government approvals. Estimates are the construction period for Phases One and Two will last approximately four to five years. The expectation is to open the Watershed to the public within two years of the conditions being met.
Whistler Blackcomb is just one of the top winter vacation resorts in North America that is moving into the year-round family market, in a very big way. Soon you will travel the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler Blackcomb or the Moose-Wilson Road almost any day of the year. And no matter the time of year, you can start planning an affordable trip with deals and discounts that you can apply to lodging, lift access, and many other on-mountain activities at any time during the year. Welcome to the new way of vacationing on or near mountain resorts.