Sparkling Hill dazzles crowd

Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: April 30, 2010 10:00 PM

It was an evening for superlatives as Vernon’s foray on to the international stage was unveiled to a select crowd. Those attending a by-invitation-only reception were given a sneak preview Friday of the $122 million Sparkling Hill Resort, adjacent to Predator Ridge. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Eric Foster, Vernon-Monashee MLA as he explored the hotel and wellness centre. “It’s world class. That’s the only way to describe it.” Situated on a rocky ledge, the resort looks out on to Okanagan Lake and the Commonage, while the Monashee Mountains can be seen in the distance. “With views like this, it’s like being on an airplane,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert.

Construction began 22 months ago, but the concept of a luxury resort has been around for about a decade. Tony Barnard, the former property owner, is amazed at how the site has been transformed. “I knew it would have to be something special done here and this is the answer,” said the former Vernon deputy fire chief. “It was our dream to see something here and this is the ultimate.” Jim Radford, chief operating officer, has overseen construction and has been involved in virtually every detail of design. But now that the resort is nearing completion, he’s almost at a loss for words. “You can’t describe it to people. You have to see it,” he said.

The resort opens to guests May 20, and it’s already fully booked for seven weeks. Many of them are locals, but the resort’s goal is to bring the world to the North Okanagan. “We’re expecting a lot from Asia and package tours from Europe,” said Tim Spiegel, Sparkling Hill’s chief financial officer. The catalyst behind Sparkling Hill is Hans-Peter Mayr, chief executive officer, who first walked the property many years ago. “I’m still as excited as I was in the beginning,” he said in between mingling with dignitaries. “It was a dream and it’s better than we expected.” Sparkling Hill is owned by Gernot Langes-Swarovski, the patriarch of the legendary Austrian family and its crystal empire. “He’s a true visionary. Without him, Vernon wouldn’t have a new jewel for the Okanagan,” said Mayr of Langes-Swarovski, who was at Friday’s reception with his family. More than $10 million in Swarovski crystal elements are incorporated into the design of the resort. They’re in the guest rooms, up in the ceiling and on the fireplaces,” said Holly J. Wood, Sparkling Hill’s publicist. Within the 240,000-square-foot European-inspired resort is a 35,000-square-foot spa, including 48 treatment rooms, steam rooms, a fitness area and North America’s first cold sauna, which dips down to a frigid minus 110 Celsius.

“We really haven’t been on the international stage before and this will put us there, especially because of its focus on wellness,” said Michelle Jefferson, Vernon’s tourism manager, on the resort’s potential impact on the economy. To reinforce her case, Jefferson waved her hand at the guests attending the reception. “These are people from all over the world and that’s the market,” she said. “While here, they will explore Predator Ridge but they will also come into town. They will go to our restaurants and enjoy our farmers’ market. They’ll be skiing in the winter.” Construction kept 350 local tradespeople busy, and now positions throughout the resort are being filled. But Lippert insists the benefit will go far beyond that. “Vernon has no idea of what this will mean to the community,” he said. “It will bring people here and put Vernon on the map.”

Sparkling Hill will play host to the 2010 Thompson-Okanagan Tourism Summit Nov. 3 to 5. “We are very excited to hold our second annual tourism summit at this first-of-its-kind, world-class resort,” said Glenn Mandziuk, Thompson-Okanagan Tourism Association chief executive officer, in a release. “We know that in the future Sparkling Hill will not only be a great attraction for regional and domestic visitors, it will also be of dramatic interest to international visitors from around the world.”