9/10/20
On my first sales trip to Calgary, many years ago, almost everyone asked where we were spending the weekend. They assume that anyone making a likely long trip to one of the prettiest places on earth is not going to rush home. It was late June and when I answered, “Lake Louise,” most said, “Its s really
nice.” And it is.
But near the end of the week, a couple of my Canadian clients said there is a better place unknown to most foreigners which, to them, includes Americans.
The picture-perfect place is called Kananaskis and it was the home of the 1980 Winter Olympics ski competition. The Alberta government developed the facility with money from oil and gas production and after the games, presented it to the Albertans as a token of their appreciation for the robust business and its’ contribution to the country of Canada. So, during the winter, Calgarians can be at a world class ski resort in about an hour and during the summer be at two of the counties’ premier 18- hole golf courses in even less time. Besides the sports venues, they also built a luxury resort, a budget hotel and a “village” with restaurants and shops.
Interestingly, the golf course was destroyed in 2013 when a very fast moving, intense flood rearranged the rivers to their original positions destroying most of the 36 holes of the course. The same flood displaced many Calgarians and riverside occupants of Southern Alberta, so rebuilding their lives and homes was the priority. The course was not rebuilt and reopened until 2019 but it was worth the wait as it is prettier and more challenging than ever.
Part of the program included rebranding the resort which today is part of the Marriot chain and is operated as an Autograph hotel. Our 2019 visit was during the “conversion period” and we hit a couple
of rough spots but hopefully they are resolved as the setting is beyond beautiful and the activities are superb in addition to being convenient.