Intrawest may find a new project in the Aspen Skiing Company’s redevelopment of its property at the base of Snowmass Ski Area.
Gary Raymond, president of Intrawest’s resort development group, was in Aspen recently at the invitation of Bill Kane, vice president of development for the Aspen Skiing Company.
"We’re always interested," Raymond said from Toronto on Tuesday.
"It (the Snowmass project) is absolutely the stuff we do."
Aspen Skiing Co. has 12 acres at the base of Snowmass, one of four ski areas at Aspen the company owns. Aspen Skiing Company is expected to submit a development proposal for the site this summer that will include tourist accommodations, skier services, retail shops, restaurants and a new chairlift. A review of the project will likely start this summer and continue for 12-18 months.
Last month Kane led a delegation of Snowmass politicians and officials to Whistler and two Utah resorts to study village and base-area plans. Raymond said the group was "blown away" by Whistler.
Kane is a former planner for Design Workshop and did much of the early design work on Blackcomb.
Raymond was municipal treasurer in Whistler from 1981 to 1985 before joining Intrawest to oversee real estate development.
Kane told th e Aspen Times Intrawest could end up playing a large role in Aspen Skiing Company’s development of the new base village. Intrawest could be invited to develop a portion of the property or become a partner in the entire development, Kane said.
Raymond stressed no decisions have been made by Aspen Skiing Company yet.
"They’re going through the process and they’ll decide if they want to do it themselves or partner with someone," Raymond said.
The Times
reported that Raymond’s presence "stoked waves of rumours" in Aspen that the Vancouver-based company was purchasing the Aspen Skiing Company and its four ski areas.Aspen Skiing Company Chief Operating Officer John Norton told The Times the rumours are not true.
