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BCBUSINESS.CA DECEMBER/JANUARY 2017 BCBUSINESS 47 six- to-eight-year project that includes new lifts, on-hill restaurants, snowmak- ing, revitalization of Blackcomb's base area, a six-star boutique hotel and the development of between 55 and 65 ski- in/ski-out townhomes on Blackcomb Terrace. The plan—which is estimated to bring in as many as 400,000 additional annual visitors—also calls for some cli- mate-change weatherproo£ng, with the addition of outdoor and indoor activities and adventure parks. Approval of the plan is contingent on successful nego- tiations currently underway between Whistler Blackcomb, the province and the Lil'wat and Squamish First Nations, which Vail's Katz says he fully supports. Katz concedes that there likely will be job losses once the deal is £nalized— but only after Vail identi£es areas of duplication. However, he expects the senior management team at Whistler Blackcomb, including CEO Brownlie, to remain unchanged. Brownlie says that regardless of ownership, the resort's operational standards and connec- tion to the community will not change: "Whistler Blackcomb is the premier mountain resort in the Paci£c North- west and is well-positioned for future growth in the Asia Paci£c markets." Christopher Nicolson, CEO of the Canada West Ski Areas Association, sees the Vail deal as providing widespread opportunities for all his members, not just Whistler Blackcomb. And that, says Nicolson—who spent 20 years working in tourism and marketing at Sun Peaks Resort—is good news for an industry where most resorts are happy to reach 50 per cent occupancy in a given season. "At Sun Peaks, the overwhelming majority of our out-of-province visitors had their £rst ski experience in B.C. at Whistler," says Nicolson. "It's like if you go to France: you're going to see the Ei©el Tower, but when you come back for a second trip, you'll explore other destinations in France." B igger is de£nitely the way of the future for North Ameri- ca's resort business, accord- ing to many observers. At the 2015 Snowsport Industries America tradeshow in Denver, keynote speaker Bill Jensen, a former Intrawest executive and now CEO of Telluride Ski and Golf Resort in Colorado, predicted that of the 470 ski areas left in the U.S., 150—what he called the "sunset" resorts—would ultimately fail. Jensen pointed out that 10 "uber resorts" (in other words, the Vails and Park Cities of the industry), along with 35 second-tier "alpha" resorts, now account for 40 per cent of the ski business in the U.S. Whistler Blackcomb is not the only iconic ski resort in B.C. set for a change of ownership. On September 19, Grouse Mountain on Vancouver's North Shore was listed for sale with commercial real estate company CBRE Canada. During 40 years of ownership by the McLaughlin family, Grouse evolved into a four-season operation, with not only skiing and snow- boarding but also sightseeing, hiking and grizzly bear viewing at the moun- tain's wildlife refuge. At press time, CBRE had not publicized an asking price for Grouse, which includes all infrastructure and 1,200 acres of private land, but have said it is expecting national and interna- tional interest in the property. Mount Washington Alpine Resort on Vancouver Island also changed hands last year, when Utah-based Paci—ic Group Resorts Inc. agreed to buy the hill in November 2015 from a private group led by Campbell River logging contractor George Stuart (the initial asking price was rumoured to be $30 million). The sale followed two dismal seasons when the resort had to open late, close early or both, due to a lack of snow—a troubling turn of events for a resort that once smashed North American snowpack records (more than 18 metres as recently as 2010- 11). Mount Washington joined Paci—ic Group's portfolio of three lesser-known American properties: WISP in Maryland, Wintergreen Resort in Virginia and New Hampshire's Ragged Mountain. Mark Fischer, executive vice-president of resort investment and brand devel- opment for Paci£c Group, says his com- pany plans to introduce snowmaking and invest in four-season attractions to boost revenues (a lift-accessed mountain bike park was reopened after Stuart's ownership team closed it in 2013). Meanwhile, an entirely different transformation is underway at Red Mountain—the Interior resort that made skiing legend Nancy Greene-Raine Q: Why do growing businesses need a human resources department? A: Eventually, owners realize that their small business is growing to such an extent that they must delegate some tasks they were able to handle in the past. One of the most important of these tasks is human resources. A wise and strategic owner will delegate HR to a trained pro- fessional. An effective HR manager will learn and thoroughly understand the vision and mission of the company. Empowered with that understand- ing, the HR manager will hire and retain employ- ees who will work towards growing the business. Further, the HR manager will nurture a positive and productive workplace where all employees want to come to work every day. Open, frank communication between upper management, HR and employees is key to a successful working environment and business. Q: What kinds of HR-related constraints are businesses in the Lower Mainland facing? A: Today's businesses are challenged in attracting and retaining the 20-to-40-year-old demograph- ic. A contributing factor to this challenge is the increased pressure on cost of living, specifi cally real estate in Vancouver and its outlying areas. With the reality of cost constraints, some fi nd themselves living on the outskirts of the GVRD, which result in longer commute times. Not sur- prisingly, some start looking at more convenient employment options. However, the same con- straints can represent opportunities. Increasingly, businesses are willing to implement more fl exible work arrangements. With the effective use of technology and system-process development, a business can introduce more fl exibility into work arrangements for employees – while still re- maining effi cient and well-coordinated amongst different departments and locations. ASK AN ADVISOR L: David Diebolt, CPA, CA R: Catherine Miller, CPA, CA Offi ces located in Vancouver & Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada Visit us at www.manningelliott.com Have Additional Questions? Call 604-714-3600 Taking your business to the next level requires guidance and expert planning from a fi rm you can trust. To learn more, contact one of our trusted business advisors today.