Bearfire Resort (Was Ski Dallas! Coolzone Winterplex)

[dfwcre8tive]

Below are news releases for the proposed 60 acre, 20-story outdoor ski and snowboaring resort planned for Dallas.

Coolzone Winterplex

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March 27, 2006

Year-round winter sports park planned for Dallas

Thinkwell Design & Production, Baker Leisure Group and McGillivray Consulting Group are among those on board for a winter-themed entertainment venue and sports park planned to open in Dallas in late 2008.

The $375 million Coolzone Winterplex project, which organizers say will be the world's first year-round, indoor-outdoor winter sports theme park, anticipates 1.6 million-2 million visitors per year.

Coolzone Winterplex is in the process of raising capital. The Bearfire Group, formed in late 2004 as the general partner for the project, has enlisted former Congressman Dick Armey to assist in these efforts.

“This is a very exciting and innovative project and will be another economic boost to North Texas,” the former House Majority Leader said in a statement. “And besides, I can’t wait to hit the slopes in Dallas!”

The Winterplex will use Snowflex, a technology developed by Briton Engineering in Great Britain. Snowflex is in use at some Olympic training parks, and in Europe, the public is skiing outdoors year round, organizers said. Snowflex incorporates a hydrogenated, multilayered skiing mat that mimics real packed powder.

Designs call for the Winterplex to resemble an alpine skiing village with hotel accommodations, fine dining and retail. The park’s main attraction will be a 60-acre, 20-story outdoor ski and snowboard mountain complete with chairlifts and a snowboard park with competition halfpipe, toboggan and ski tubing.

The park will also feature two ice rinks, an outdoor ice trail, a winter wonderland for children with snow, an outdoor concert venue, rock climbing and rides.

Bearfire Group said it is talking with a “major motion picture studio” to use its intellectual property to theme a portion of the park.

Baker Leisure Group, responsible for such high-profile venues as Coca-Cola’s Olympic City at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta and Al Shallal, the largest theme park in the Middle East, developed the feasibility study and business plan. It will provide operational consulting and management for the park. McGillivray will serve as project manager for this attraction.

Thinkwell’s projects include the recently announced iPort, part of Harrah’s Entertainment’s bid for the resort-casino project in Singapore. Kirk Design, which worked on Tokyo DisneySea among its many projects, is also involved with Winterplex.

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CBS News Link

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Snowflex

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[Jeebus]

Looks like a cheap Ski-Dubai.

[citykid09]

Go Dallas! this is great! I did not know that most of the skiers that go to Colorado are from Texas. Why not build this in our state? I would go, I have never been sking before.

Another reson why Texas is one of the top tourist destinations in the United States.

[zaphod]

weird. that looks fun.

[NewMND]

When I saw a special on the Discovery Channel about the building of the ski resort in Dubai, I was hoping they would do something like that at the Astrodome, but oh well, Dallas is only a few hours away

[TheNiche]

WOW.

[VelvetJ]

Wow indeed. That looks cool.

I'm one of the one's that was actually aware of the large number of Texans going to Colorado. I'm not really sure how this new facility in Dallas will affect that number but for those of us that just want to do a little skiing on a weekend without having to go out of state, this will be a great alternative.

Go Dallas!!!

[editor]

Good idea, but I bet it will be mobbed. It will be one of those situations where nobody goes because it's so crowded... if you get my drift.

[Dominax]

Good one

as planning things out very well hopefully seeing it really be built and created.

Ive seen other cities doing things like this too not just USA but all over the world as I be online.

[dfwcre8tive]

Big ski project planned in FW

Former Intel plant site under contract, other sites eyed, for $750M theme park

Dallas Business Journal - April 6, 2007

by Holli L. Estridge

http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stori...9/story1.html#1

Acreage once slated for a massive semiconductor plant in North Fort Worth now is being eyed by developers planning a $750 million, "winter megaplex" similar to an existing theme park in the United Arab Emirates.

Intel Corp. bought the 527-acre site, located at the intersection of Eagle Parkway and Interstate 35W, nine years ago, aiming to put up a $1.3 billion semiconductor plant. It scrapped those plans in 2000.

Now Charlie Aaron, president of The Colony-based Bearfire Group LLC, says his development team is considering the Intel site, as well as a couple of others in North Texas, for the winter-sports theme project. But he's staying mum on details, pending investor meetings scheduled for mid-April.

Early last year the 3-year-old Bearfire Group announced it had identified several potential sites throughout the Metroplex for a $325 million project then called Coolzone Winterplex.

It said the year-round development would use "snowflex," a new technology developed by Great Britain's Briton Engineering that uses a hydrogenated, multi-layered skiing mat to simulate the qualities and conditions of mountain snow.

[dfwcre8tive]

Plan for year-round FW ski park under way

12:10 AM CDT on Tuesday, April 10, 2007

By DARLA MILES / WFAA-TV

Year-round snow may soon come to North Texas if a developer's desires for a ski park in Fort Worth become a reality.

Designs are already under way for the proposed $750 million Bearfire Ski Resort. Proposals include a man-made, snow-capped mountain, snow caves and a frozen lake for ice skating.

Developers claim it would be the first snowboard and ski park with 15 acres of ski-able snow that would be open year round in the United States.

With three lodges, fine dining and shops and a spa, the park's proposed location is a 527 acre stretch of land on Eagle Parkway in north Fort Worth.

The idea has sparked reaction across North Texas.

"It sounds kind of crazy, although they have one in Dubai or someplace," said Dick Snyder, a skier. "I guess they can have one in Fort Worth."

Plans are already under way for the park's big Christmas attraction, which would include a Polar Express train and sleigh rides.

Developers said they plan to close the deal in a year and open the resort in 2009.

Video with renderings:

VIDEO

E-mail dmiles@wfaa.com

[Pumapayam]

Looks like a cheap Ski-Dubai.

What the hell is Snowflex, it is not cold to the touch.

So you are skiing on sand dunes of something?

[houstonfella]

I see the pictures and it is so cool looking. Then I think ... skiing in Dallas-FW in June July Aug. Sept.

It would be a cool thing, though. I hope it happens.

[MidtownCoog]

This has to be a joke.

Oh Dallas. It's a little bit "Time Square", "Manhattan" and "Colorado" all in one.

Somebody needs therapy.

Dallas - Be yourself!

[Dallascaper]

This has to be a joke.

Oh Dallas. It's a little bit "Time Square", "Manhattan" and "Colorado" all in one.

Somebody needs therapy.

Theme parks have been around for a long time - did Disney need therapy?

Dallas - Be yourself!

You expect too much, MC. We already have a

[troyboy]

It seems most people are very skeptical of this project ever happening. Personally, I find it ridiculous and corny.

[Pumapayam]

Theme parks have been around for a long time - did Disney need therapy?

You expect too much, MC. We already have a

[MidtownCoog]

ridiculous and corny

Excellent description.

did Disney need therapy?

I rue the day my kids ask to go to Disney World. Just look at Orlando for a prime example of a city without a soul. I hope I never have to return but have a feelind I will.

Yuk.

[RedScare]

It seems most people are very skeptical of this project ever happening. Personally, I find it ridiculous and corny.

You might add "small" to your description. 15 acres of skiable "snow"? Consider Copper Mountain has 2,433 acres of skiable area, and over 400 acres of snowmaking capability. Would not take long to fill up 15 acres.

But, hey, if it works....

[Subdude]

What the hell is Snowflex, it is not cold to the touch.

So you are skiing on sand dunes of something?

I've seen photos of other places with it. It is just a kind of plastic matting to provide a skiing surface.

[MidtownCoog]

http://www.snowmaker.com/snowflex.html

[Pumapayam]

http://www.snowmaker.com/snowflex.html

So in other words, don't get that stuff in your mouth if you fall over.

.

I rue the day my kids ask to go to Disney World. Just look at Orlando for a prime example of a city without a soul. I hope I never have to return but have a feeling I will.

Disney does an awesome job, and put Olrando on the map for entertainment.

It is a magical place. I was happy to go back!

[dalparadise]

Yeah -- imagine skiing down a 200-foot mountain on white sythetic carpet in 105-degree heat. Sounds boring and hot. This place will be mobbed for the first year or so, then fold, long before the initial investment is returned. What an absolutely stupid idea. Now, if they could somehow enclose the thing and use something closer to real snow, that might be interesting. It would still be too small to hold people's interest for very long, though.

[Mister X]

I think I'd rather go to Schlitterbahn or the beach.

[Dallasboi]

I think I'd rather go to Schlitterbahn or the beach.

Yeah Yeah Yeah,If this was planned in The woodlands, then it would be the perfect project huh?....Get over it Guys this is different for texas......Come up and try it out before you just talk down on it........ughhhhhhhhhhhh,you guys kill me sometimes.

Excellent description.

I rue the day my kids ask to go to Disney World. Just look at Orlando for a prime example of a city without a soul. I hope I never have to return but have a feelind I will.

Yuk.

Ive noticed that anything that's not Houston is YUK to you.......which the idea of thinking in that mindframe is YUK to me.Be realistic sometimes.........everything is not as perfect as Houston.

[Pumapayam]

Yeah -- imagine skiing down a 200-foot mountain on white sythetic carpet in 105-degree heat. Sounds boring and hot. This place will be mobbed for the first year or so, then fold, long before the initial investment is returned. What an absolutely stupid idea. Now, if they could somehow enclose the thing and use something closer to real snow, that might be interesting. It would still be too small to hold people's interest for very long, though.

And unlike a real mountain, the snow is not being reused, as it is constantly melting and being covered with new snow with each storm.

This sounds dirty and like it will get in the air and litter everything.

They should just spend the money right and make it an indoor park.

Like the one in Dubai.

[MidtownCoog]

This concept is silly no matter where you put it.

[2112]

......everything is not as perfect as Houston.

Thanks for noticing.

[Subdude]

Yeah Yeah Yeah,If this was planned in The woodlands, then it would be the perfect project huh?....Get over it Guys this is different for texas......Come up and try it out before you just talk down on it........ughhhhhhhhhhhh,you guys kill me sometimes.

Ive noticed that anything that's not Houston is YUK to you.......which the idea of thinking in that mindframe is YUK to me.Be realistic sometimes.........everything is not as perfect as Houston.

Look, I don't know how many times we have to freakin' repeat it. This forum is NOT the place for this idiotic Dallas vs Houston garbage. Read the banner at the top of the page. Those are the rules, so deal with it. If that is your only interest then you should find some other board, because your membership on this one will be suspended. The topic is the Dallas Winterplex, so stick with it.

[2112]

This concept is silly no matter where you put it.

I think responses like Coog's here are fair. It disagrees with the concept of the snow park, not the fact that it is a Dallas thing. In fact he points that out. If, on the other hand, a comment was made that the fundamental constituent of the snowflakes was plastic, and that therefore it would not be surprising that it would exist in Dallas, then that may or may not be out of line on this forum, depending on motive. Comments that are outright offensive about Dallas are simply inappropriate, and will not be tolerated on this forum.