VICTORIA, British Columbia -- Explore a celebrated coastal oasis and one of the most striking seaside cities in the world. Escape to a place where world class golf, whale-watching, mountain biking, fine dining and shopping exist side-by-side. Discover an exclusive mountainside retreat that offers the region’s most sought-after and varied real estate opportunity next door to a luxurious vacation destination. Experience Bear Mountain Resort.

The premier destination and first and only master-planned resort community on Vancouver Island, Bear Mountain Resort provides a complete lifestyle experience, offering a variety of residential and vacation real estate opportunities as well as The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa. Situated on 1,100 acres of mountainside property, the community features the first and only 36-hole Nicklaus-designed golf offering in Canada, medical and traditional aesthetics at the Santé Spa, three world-class restaurants and the state-of-the-art Mountainside Athletic Club, all within minutes of the beautiful seaside harbor of Victoria, British Columbia.

Bear Mountain Resort is the chance vision of President and CEO Len Barrie, a former National Hockey League (NHL) star-turned-golfer who found himself battling with his Victoria-based Royal Colwood Golf Club over a few trees he chose to cut down to create a better view from his backyard. Forced to pay a fine and resign his membership, Barrie opted to build his own golf course and in 2001, he purchased the parcel of land that is now Bear Mountain Resort.

Although his initial plans were modest to include one golf course with a few homes around it, Barrie approached many of his NHL colleagues to become a part of the project, and momentum began to build. Attracted to Victoria’s cache as a popular year-round vacation destination and the plans for the first Nicklaus co-designed course on Vancouver Island, Barrie’s NHL friends soon became Bear Mountain Resort investors. No one, not even Barrie, could have predicted that Bear Mountain Resort would soon become the largest development in Western Canada and the foremost real estate opportunity and vacation destination on Vancouver Island.

Bear Mountain Resort has become the area’s premier destination for travelers and real estate buyers alike. The cornerstone of the community is the Jack and Steve Nicklaus co-designed Mountain Course, which opened in 2003. A second Nicklaus-designed Valley Course is currently under construction. Together, the two courses will be the only 36-hole Nicklaus-designed golf at one resort in Canada.

“I traveled a lot during my time in the NHL and the best of my travel experiences were the primary influence in creating the vision of Bear Mountain Resort,” said Barrie. “I wanted Bear Mountain Resort to be a place where everyday life feels like a vacation and resort-style living combines with a true sense of community. When people come here, they realize they have discovered a resort that is truly unique.”

Perched on a mountainside, Bear Mountain Resort overlooks Victoria, Washington State’s Olympic Mountain Range, the Strait of Georgia and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, guaranteeing spectacularly breathtaking views from every corner of the property. Only 25 minutes away is the capital city of Victoria, called “The Garden City” as its temperate climate keeps the area green year-round and lush flora and fauna decorate every corner of the city. Consistently ranked one of the top cities in the Americas by Condé Nast Traveler, Victoria offers a myriad of outdoor activities both on and off the water including golfing, hiking, biking, sailing, whale-watching, fishing, shopping and five-star dining. In addition, Vancouver Island itself has been voted the Top North American Island for five years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler.

The community’s new Clubhouse building will be the centerpiece of the community and the main building of The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa, and is opening May 1, 2006 with a grand opening planned for June 8. Available for Bear Mountain Resort’s residents and guests is the Mountainside Athletic Club, the first athletic facility on the island to offer the technology of Paramount Fitness equipment. Long term plans for the project also include The Village, a vibrant core that will tie all of Bear Mountain Resort together, offering coffee houses, specialty shops, boutiques, bistros, natural open space, landscaped parks and an outdoor amphitheatre as well as year-round activities, music, art and exhibits.

With development well underway, the response to Bear Mountain Resort’s real estate offering has been overwhelming. The project’s first 10 phases of lot sales completely sold out as well as a significant number of condos, townhomes and quarter share offerings, resulting in pre-sales of more than $342.4 million USD ($400 million CAD). In addition, Bear Mountain Resort set the record for most real estate sales in one day on Vancouver Island, selling $114.7 million USD ($134 million CAD) of real estate during the selection day for St. Andrews Walk and Finlayson Reach condominiums. As the community continues to take shape over the next 10 to 12 years, Bear Mountain Resort will have approximately 1,112 single family lots, 1,997 condominiums and 220 townhomes, totaling 3,329 residences, and is projected to have a total build out value of $2.1 billion USD ($2.5 billion CAD).

“Our real estate options fit every lifestyle whether the goal is to raise children, visit twice a year to play golf or eventually retire here,” said Dale Sproule, director of real estate for Bear Mountain Resort. “In addition, we have made it a priority not to spare any expense in developing our real estate product—every detail offers top of the line quality and craftsmanship. This attention to detail coupled with the immediate availability of every imaginable urban amenity is what makes Bear Mountain Resort a one-of-a-kind community.”

Bear Mountain Resort Real Estate Offering

Bear Mountain Resort offers a wide variety of real estate options for both residential and vacation ownership. Residents enjoy access to all of the Resort’s amenities including VIP Services, which offers concierge services including transportation, entertainment arrangements, child care, cleaning and catering. Bear Mountain Resort does enforce design guidelines for those wishing to build a home on their property including height, set back restrictions, exterior finishing materials, colors and landscaping so that residences at Bear Mountain Resort are individually unique while still ensuring a cohesive community feel. The current real estate available at Bear Mountain Resort includes:

* Homesites
o Ranging in size from 1 to 1.5 acres
o Prices range from $856,000 to $1.5 million USD ($1 million to $1.7 million CAD)
* Townhomes
o Ranging in size from 2,800 to 3,600 square feet
o Prices range from $1.2 million to $1.4 million USD ($1.4 million to $1.6 million CAD)
* Condominiums
o Both low- and high-rise condos available
o Ranging in size from 530 to 1,800 square feet
o Prices range from $252,000 to $1.3 million USD ($295,000 to $1.5 million CAD)
* Executive Fractional Ownership
o Ranging in size from 1,900 to 2,600 square feet
o Prices range from $213,000 to $256,000 USD ($249,000 to $299,000 CAD) for a 1/4 share

The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa

Guests will be awestruck when they step into The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa’s new Clubhouse building, a West Coast-style oasis with a towering timber-beamed lobby embellished with massive stone fireplaces and a two-story waterfall. The Clubhouse boasts three restaurants—The Copper Rock Grill, Master’s Lounge and Panache, the Santé Spa, state-of-the-art meeting facilities, men’s and women’s private lounges and several grand terraces with sprawling views with all of the style, sophistication and elegance of a world-class resort.

The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa currently has 65 rooms available in its Fairways building with an additional 91 rooms becoming available May 1, 2006, with the opening of the Clubhouse building. Guests can choose from guestrooms or one- or two-bedroom suites as well as a penthouse, all boasting amazing views of the golf course fairways, Mount Finlayson or the bustling Village center currently under design. Guestrooms include a kitchenette while suites come complete with kitchen, dining room and separate living area. All accommodations are elegantly appointed and feature Westin’s signature Heavenly Bed® and luxurious Heavenly Bath® with deep soaker tubs and natural slate flooring as well as high speed Internet access. Each room offers a private balcony from which guests can enjoy a sunset, take in a breath of fresh mountain air or watch golfers tee off. Rates for The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa range from $127 to $265 USD/night ($149 to $309 CAD/night) during the low season to $153 to $341 USD/night ($179 to $399 CAD/night) during the high season and include access to all of the resort’s amenities. Packages are also available throughout the year.

“As a Westin property, we not only offer impeccable standards of service and amenities, but the unique Bear Mountain Resort lifestyle and community,” said Terry Yacyshen, resort general manager for The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa. “It’s very rare to find an urban resort destination that offers everything a guest could desire—amazing golf, a world-class spa, a variety of dining options, outdoor adventures—all in one place.”

Whether coming in off the links for a quick bite, looking for a relaxed setting for conversation and appetizers or seeking an intimate dinner for two, The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa has the perfect dining option. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the Copper Rock Grill offers an extensive selection of West Coast fare in a casual dining atmosphere. Residents and guests can be found catching up with old friends or reliving the day’s finest moments at The Master’s Lounge, which provides full fare, appetizers and tapas-style plates. For a more exclusive option, guests may enjoy Panache, an intimate evening dining experience with a daily dinner menu that showcases only the highest quality local and international in-season ingredients.

Bear Mountain Golf & Country Club

The Bear Mountain Resort vision is rooted in golf, so it’s only fitting that the community will boast the only 36-hole Nicklaus-designed offering at one resort in Canada as well as the only Nicklaus co-designed course on Vancouver Island. Open since 2003, the first course—also known as the Mountain Course—in and of itself is a masterpiece, with its challenging terrain and spectacular natural beauty. A par-71 playing at 7,083 yards, the course takes full advantage of its setting atop a 1,100-foot mountain, exhibiting dramatic elevation changes and awe-inspiring views. From Grizzly tees the course measures 6,641 yards, the Black tees play 6,257 yards, the Spirit tees measure 5,783 yards and the Cinnamon tees play 5,014 yards. The one hole not to be missed on this course is the bonus 19th, a recreational betting hole built to capture a 360 degree vista that is sure to take one’s breath away—even if some cash is lost.

Bear Mountain Resort’s Valley Course will play at a lower elevation than the Mountain Course and is sure to cement Bear Mountain Golf & Country Club’s reputation as the most sought-after golf in Canada. The par-70, 6,890 yard Nicklaus-designed course is currently under construction and will be ready for play in 2008.

“From the outset, my vision of Bear Mountain Resort centered around the golf experience and that meant having the very best course designers available,” said Barrie. “While Bear Mountain Resort offers the best in resort accommodations and residential living, our goal was always to create the West’s most renowned golf destination.”

Members of the Bear Mountain Golf & Country Club are treated to first-class service and amenities including access to the luxuriously appointed men’s and women’s lounges, bag drop and cleaning services, golf carts equipped with GPS, British Columbia Golf Association membership and handicapping system, preferred guest rates and membership in the Jack Nicklaus International Golf Club, allowing for reciprocal rates at participating Nicklaus courses. World-class amenities extend to the greens as well, with food and liquor service available at the 9th hole snack bar and grill, featuring delectable offerings such as the lobster sandwich and chilled Canadian vodka. Bear Mountain Golf & Country Club will also be home to one of the West’s only Nicklaus Golf Academies, becoming available in 2007. Membership to the Bear Mountain Golf & Country Club is limited to 475 members and individual, corporate and family memberships are available with subscription fees beginning at $30,000 USD ($35,000 CAD) with monthly dues beginning at $600 USD ($700 CAD). Membership is limited to those who have purchased real estate at Bear Mountain Resort.

The Mountainside Athletic Club

Bear Mountain Resort’s state-of-the-art Mountainside Athletic Club (MAC) invites residents and guests to experience a truly enlightened level of health and wellness. The first facility on Vancouver Island to offer Paramount Fitness technology, the MAC provides both co-ed and ladies-only gyms outfitted with a large selection of free weights and plate loaded equipment that is the most advanced cardiovascular equipment available. Paramount Fitness is considered a world leader in innovation fitness technology using engineering that creates a more accurate anatomical fit, adjusting to each individual body and moving with ease to create stronger, leaner muscles. MAC also features a year-round outdoor heated salt water pool and a fully equipped fitness studio with yoga, pilates, spinning, Bosu and Swiss ball, and step and body sculpting classes. Other features include personal training, hot tub, sun bed, infra-red sauna, locker and towel service, fresh juice bar, daycare services and a special events calendar. In partnership with Bear Mountain Resort’s Santé Spa, MAC also offers personalized, integrated “Living Better” programs designed to help members and guests reach their highest level of physical, mental and emotional wellness.

Santé Spa

Opening in the Clubhouse is The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa’s Santé Spa. Accredited by the Institut de Santé, Canada’s leader in medical spas, Bear Mountain’s Santé Spa will offer the finest in traditional and medical aesthetics in a soothing, relaxed environment. Featuring a guest lounge with cozy fireplace, large terrace with breathtaking views, nautilus-shaped mineral pool, deck and labyrinth as well as an expansive menu of services, the Santé Spa allows guests to pamper their mind and body to the fullest.

About Bear Mountain Resort

The premier destination and first and only master-planned resort community on Vancouver Island, Bear Mountain Resort provides a complete lifestyle experience, offering a variety of residential and vacation real estate opportunities as well as The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort & Spa. Situated on 1,100 acres of mountainside property, the community features the first and only 36-hole Nicklaus-designed golf offering in Canada, medical and traditional aesthetics at the Santé Spa, three world-class restaurants and the state-of-the-art Mountainside Athletic Club, all within minutes of the beautiful seaside harbor of Victoria, British Columbia. For more information, visit www.bearmountain.ca or call 1.888.533.BEAR.