Runway expansion good for Silver Star

By David SkelhonMonday, March 26, 2007 http://www.dailycourier.ca/article_1062.php

Extending Kelowna Airport’s runway 1,500 feet will bring Okanagan ski resorts within non-stop range for European and Australian airlines says Michael Ballingall, senior vice president of Silver Star and Big White resorts.Ballingall said he expects the eight million dollar extension to be completed by November 2008 with the first charter flights arriving non-stop from other continents in January 2009.“What fantastic news for tourism and residents of the Okanagan Valley,” said Ballingall.Currently, Ballingall estimates that 50 per cent of Silver Star’s skiers come from the Okanagan Valley, 25 per cent from the Lower Mainland, 12 per cent from Washington state and Ontario, 10 per cent from Australia and two or three per cent from the U.K. Ballingall said he expects to see a large increase in visitors from the U.K. and Australia when non-stop charter flights start. The resorts are working closely with tour operators to make this happen, he said.Ballingall represents the ski sector on the Kelowna mayor’s airport advisory council and is also vice president of the Thompson Okanagan Tourist Association.

The recently announced runway expansion to a total of 9,000 feet will make it possible for jets, such as the new Boeing 787, carrying up to 275 passengers, to take-off fully loaded with passengers, fuel and cargo. Kelowna is already Canada’s 11th busiest airport, handling 1.25 million passengers in 2006.Ballingall said that Silver Star has a lift capacity of 17,000 skiers per hour and doesn’t currently come close to reaching this capacity. The resort has world class skiing, grooming and lifts but lacks the condo-style accommodation preferred by many families taking ski vacations, Ballingall said.Two bedroom, two bathroom accommodation is the key to success in this market, and Ballingall added, “we also need brand new hotels.”There are new projects in the pipeline but a blockage exists over much needed water for the expansion. Ballingall said the blockage is with the regional district as there is currently uncertainty over water rights. He said he hopes an ongoing investigation into water rights can be quickly resolved so that construction can start as soon as the ski season closes.