Largest Building Permit in Vernon History issued to Sparkling Hill Resort
Tuesday, April 8, 2008, VERNON B.C. - The largest building
permit in the history of the City of Vernon has been issued to Sparkling
Hill Resort, a luxury, European-style wellness hotel being built next to the
prestigious Predator Ridge Golf Resort and south of the city of Vernon in
the North Okanagan Valley. In a press briefing on April 08/2008 at 11:00
am at the building site, Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert will announce the
unprecedented $55 million dollar building permit granted to The Sparkling
Hill Resort and Wellness Hotel which is slated to open in the winter of
2009.
Other noteworthy permits have been granted by the City of Vernon to BC
Transmission Corporation Building ($21 m), the Vernon Jubilee Hospital
addition in 1982 ($21 m), The Strand Development ($20 m) and Tolko Office
Buildings ($16 m). The Sparkling Hill permit, substantially more than the
others, is a reflection of the significance of this development to the city
of Vernon.
Formerly known by its pre-development marketing name Kristall Resort, The
Sparkling Hill Resort will be a luxurious 150 room hotel and European-style
wellness centre on 174 acres adjacent to the Predator Ridge Golf Resort
overlooking beautiful Lake Okanagan. Carved into the surrounding rock, the
resort will be 22,400m2 (240,000sq.ft.) and built in a fluid style that will
respectfully fuse the resort to the land.
The name Sparkling Hill refers to the dramatic light reflections from Lake
Okanagan. A scenic 25 minute drive from Kelowna International Airport along
the Kalamalka Lake corridor in view of the Monashee Mountains, the resort
will be linked with all amenities at Predator Ridge, permitting guests to
indulge in wellness, relaxation and championship golf during their stay.
"Sparkling Hill joins Predator Ridge and The Rise as one of three
international calibre developments in Vernon", notes Mayor Lippert. "A
resort of this significance will have a tremendous impact on tourism for
Vernon, consolidating its reputation as a world-class destination."
"We're evolving rapidly from a resource-based city into tourism, service and
construction based one," continues Lippert. "The shift to new industries is
having a positive impact on both the local economy and our job market".
"Sparkling Hill will be a one-of-a-kind European luxury wellness experience
in Canada that will attract international visitors from North America and
Europe," adds President and CEO Hans Peter Mayr. "Its development will
change how the spa and wellness industry is viewed in Canada. It is destined
to become the ultimate spa experience." Mayr has recently moved from Bad
Haering, Austria, where he most recently managed the Kurzentrum Bad Haering
Resort. He has extensive experience in the planning and management of new
boutique hotels and spas, having opened three other resorts in Austria for
the privately owned Kurzentrum group of hotels and wellness resorts.
Construction of Sparkling Hill has begun and the resort is anticipated to
open in the winter of 2009 and be in full operation by spring 2010. Jim
Radford, Sparkling Hill's COO, notes that when construction is completed,
the development is expected to cost in excess of $100 million.
2008-05-01 (c) Christine Wolter
