By Alison Taylor
Even though they missed their internal deadline to find a financial partner for the Peak to Peak gondola, Whistler-Blackcomb staff say the project is still in the works.
"Were still working on the final details," said Stuart Rempel, senior vice president of marketing and sales with Whistler-Blackcomb. "Nothing has been finalized but were still moving ahead.
Staff had set an internal deadline for the end of 2005 to find a joint venture partner to join them in the $45 million gondola project.
The proposed gondola would stretch from Blackcomb Mountains Rendezvous Lodge to Whistler Mountains Roundhouse, breaking three world records along the way.
Whistler-Blackcomb said there is still time to order the gondola parts from Doppelmayr this year and begin construction in the summer.
Rempel said: "Our plan is still to have the lift completed for Christmas 2008 with a two year build that was what we had proposed originally."
It is not clear what the absolute latest date is to find a partner before having to push back the proposed construction schedule.