Intrawest Golf announces plans to take its premier Raven Golf brand to Canada

SCOTTSDALE, AZ, July 22 /CNW/ - Scottsdale-based Intrawest Golf, a subsidiary business of Vancouver, British Columbia-based Intrawest Corporation, is pleased to announce that it will, for the first time, be bringing its premier Raven Golf brand to Canada with the creation of The Raven Golf Club at Lora Bay just outside Thornbury, Ontario. Intrawest Golf is set to begin construction in 2003 and anticipates its seventh Raven taking flight in summer 2005.

The club will pair Tom Lehman - PGA Tour veteran, former British Open champion and Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks (Colorado) and Raven Golf Club at Verrado (Arizona) designer - with Canada's premier golf course architect Thomas McBroom. The two will collaborate on the 7,200+-yard championship layout, which will be carved from some of Ontario's most breathtaking terrain. Set on the dramatic Nipissing Ridge, the 18 holes will overlook Georgian Bay while meandering through wildlife preserves.

"The Raven Golf Club at Lora Bay will be a tremendous addition to the Raven network of clubs," said Intrawest Golf President Jeff Stipec. "Our team was excited about taking the brand international last year with The Raven at Cabo San Lucas, but to now return home to Canada - we are elated. It's a great opportunity for our group to complement our existing Monterra facilities at Blue Mountain with an additional 18 holes of championship golf. Additionally, we can provide even more privileged golf access to our Intrawest homeowners and guests."

The new Raven Golf Club will act as the centerpiece of the Lora Bay recreational lifestyle community, complete with single-family homes, villas, an activity center and beach club. The golf course itself will be constructed and operated by Intrawest, while the surrounding residential real estate is being developed by The Lora Bay Corporation of Ontario, headed by President and CEO Jim Wilkinson and Chairman Arnie Cader.

"Lora Bay is proud to have been selected by Intrawest as the site of Canada's first Raven, and we are committed to being a worthy steward of this premier brand of golf facilities," said Cader.

Wilkinson added, "We have challenged the design team to make our course the most dramatic Raven in the network, and are confident the setting of our community will accommodate that lofty goal."

The Raven Golf Club at Lora Bay will be a semi-private facility with preferred access granted to Intrawest homeowners and guests of the Village at Blue and to the members of the Lora Bay residential community. Set to encase more than 580 acres - including a robust 220 allocated to the golf course - the homes and other amenities will align spectacularly with the championship golf venue.

Intrawest Golf owns, operates and manages many of North America's finest golf facilities, including its Raven brand of courses. The six Raven Golf Clubs are located in Phoenix, Ariz.; Destin, Fla.; Silverthorne, Colo.; Snowshoe, W. Va.; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; and the newest Raven Golf Club at Verrado in Buckeye, Ariz. The company's portfolio of over 30 golf facilities is balanced between ownership and third-party management. Intrawest Golf's focus is on the management of high quality, daily-fee, semi-private, and private clubs in locations that facilitate synergies with its existing operations.

Intrawest's Village at Blue Mountain is a thriving resort village similar to other Intrawest showcase villages like Whistler and Tremblant. The Village at Blue already consists of nearly 500 resort homes, townhomes and single- family lots all surrounding a pedestrian village center with 14 shops and restaurants. The total scope for Intrawest's master plan at Blue Mountain is the development of 2,000 resort homes and 70 shops and restaurants making Blue Mountain to Ontario what Tremblant is to Quebec.

Intrawest Golf is a division of Intrawest Corporation, North America's leading developer and operator of four-season, village-centered destination resorts.

Intrawest Corporation's shares are listed on the New York (IDR) and Toronto (ITW) stock exchanges. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, Intrawest Corporation's shares are listed on the New York (IDR) and Toronto (ITW) stock exchanges. The company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is located on the World Wide Web at www.intrawest.com. For more information