Articles
Copper Point Resort opens its doors
By Kate Irwin
From The Columbia Valley Pioneer, May 27, 2011
The staff at Copper Point Resort were celebrating last weekend, as the newly-completed resort opened the doors to its very first guest.
Simon Billo from Calgary was warmly welcomed when he checked in on Friday, May 20th, to the new 203-room hotel, which overlooks The Ridge golf course on one side and the Rocky Mountains on the other.
“It’s unique to be the first customer; maybe they’ll put a plaque up,” Mr. Billo joked. “I was treated to big smiles from staff when I came in and have been made to feel very welcome and wanted.”
The new resort features indoor and outdoor swimming pools and hot tubs, a fitness centre, a sports court, an on-site market and two on-site golf courses.
In addition, the contemporary restaurant, Elements Grill, will provide a fresh, seasonal menu, with a large outdoor patio situated to catch the evening sun.
“We couldn’t be happier to be open,” said Michellene Kandert, Director of Public Relations and Brand Development. “For a long time there were no visual changes and it felt like we were never going to pull it together … It’s such an incredible moment now we can say we delivered on all our intentions.”
It has been just more than a year since Rohit Communities bought Copper Point Resort out of receivership and set about the ambitious task of completing the resort and opening the doors to paying customers in just 12 months.
Along the way they have won awards for their logo, advertisements and marketing campaign, and have become part of the local charity and fundraising scene.
Working with local businesses, tradespeople and artists has been integral when putting the finishing touches on the resort, Ms. Kandert added.
“The journey we’ve taken in the last year is so big,” Ms. Kandert said. “Our job in addition to building this resort was building a reputation in this town … looking at where we’ve come from it’s hard not to feel proud.”
As part of the opening, Bobby-Jo Wiebe, a member of the resort’s marketing team, did a tandem paraglide jump with local gliding expert Max Fanderl, landing on The Ridge Golf Course.
The May 20th opening is being deemed a “soft” opening by staff, as only one wing of the hotel, the Athabasca Wing, is currently open to guests. The Mt. Bryce wing will be unveiled at the grand opening on Tuesday, June 28th. A number of offers and contests are being run in conjunction with the opening.
For more information on Copper Point Resort call 1-855-926-7737, or visit www.copperpointresort.com.
