MAJOR MERGER IN HOTEL SCENE
Of course, with prime lakefront locations, buzzy waterside dining, lakeview rooms, boardwalk and marina, the Hotel Eldorado and Manteo Resort in Kelowna are bucket list worthy.
So, the side-by-side properties have joined the Okanagan Bucket List marketing group, which also includes Big White Ski Resort, Mission Hill Family Estate winery, Predator Ridge Golf Resort and Sparkling Hill Resort.
“(Kelowna’s) Argus (Properties) owns both the Eldorado and Manteo and we want them to maintain their separate, unique identities,” said Argus’ hospitality director of operations Trevor Morgan.
“But for the Okanagan Bucket List we wanted to be one entity and that’s Eldorado Resort with two iconic hotels with iconic locations on Okanagan Lake. The lake is definitely what makes the Okanagan a bucket-list destination.”
If you’ve flown in or out of Kelowna airport you’ve seen Okanagan Bucket List posters.
The group also does targeting advertising in key Western Canadian markets and has its own website.
Manteo Resort and Hotel Eldorado will maintain separate websites and can be searched and booked separately on websites like Expedia.
But Eldorado Resort will also have its own website and refer to Manteo and the Hotel Eldorado.
Guests at either hotel can use the amenities at the other.
Both hotels have pools and a shared boardwalk, the El has a marina, Manteo a beach and kids’ waterpark and both have lakeview restaurants with patios.
Operationally, the Eldorado Resort umbrella leads to efficiencies such as Manteo general manager Heather Schroeter taking over management of both hotels and El executive chef Marc Schoene overseeing all food at both hotels.
“Word is out about Eldorado Resort because it needs to be for Bucket List,” said Morgan.
“But, we’ll also do a full launch with more details in May.”
Argus is a full-service real estate company that’s into construction, leasing, property management and maintenance.
Its hotel portfolio is relatively new and includes the Hotel Eldorado and Manteo Resort (the result of acquisitions in 2014 and 2016, respectively), the six-year-old Four Points by Sheraton at Kelowna airport and Hilton Home2 in Fort St. John.
Another Argus-owned hotel is under construction behind the Four Points.
The 140-room, six-storey Hampton Inn & Suites will open in October.
Motorcycle community
Connect with other riders. Plan, track and share routes. Post bike-related experiences. And stay safer on the road. Motorcyclists can do it all, and more, with the new Motorcycle Community app developed by Kelowna’s Tonit Media.
“I’m a civil engineer and accountant, but also a passionate motorcyclist,” said Tonit founder and CEO Jason Lotoski.
“I saw a hole in the market. We created Tonit to build a big community of people who wanted a convenient way to get together and share the things they love about motorcycling. They want everything motorcycle-related all in one place, and it’s here.”
Tonit is Kelowna-based and has users in Canada, but most are in the U.S.
The app was launched this week and is a free download from the App Store and Google Play.
The app features 30 motorcycle style categories so users can develop their profile to help them to quickly find riders with similar riding styles to meet up with.
The private messaging system allows riders to easily connect and plan rides together.
Features being developed include a crash alert system, real-time dashboard for track riders and a buy-and-sell platform for motorcycles, parts, gear and accessories.
Tonit received $600,000 in equity financing from Kelowna-based Atrium Ventures, which invests in early-stage tech companies.
Tonit now has a staff of eight and offices on the third floor of the Okanagan Innovation Centre in downtown Kelowna.
Construction is king
Despite a slowdown in real estate, it looks like construction may still be king of the Central Okanagan economy.
The Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission’s economic update cites Statistics Canada figures that show of the 11,000 businesses in the region, the largest sector is construction with 1,332 building, renovation, consulting, supply and related companies.
The next biggest sector is retail trade with 989 businesses, followed by 894 professional, scientific and technical services companies and 847 health care and social assistance firms.
However, there are many ways of measuring economic prowess.
High tech, which likely falls in the professional, scientific and technical services category, claims to be the Okanagan’s biggest economic engine with $1.7 billion annual impact with 693 companies and 12,400 employees.
However, tourism also claims to be No. 1 with a $1-billion-plus punch, as does construction.
Forestry, manufacturing and agriculture can also tout themselves as top-five contenders.
Tech jobs
Speaking of high tech’s economic strength, Accelerate Okanagan’s list of dozens and dozens of job openings is testament to the sector’s rapid growth and labour shortage.
Some of the job titles are traditional, like marketing manager, accountant and account executive.
But some are definitely new-generation, such as software engineer III-IOT, systems analyst, Java developer, network supervisor, e-commerce specialist and C++ software engineer.
Tech not only adds to the Okanagan’s economic muscle, but its helping make the population younger and more vibrant.
Tech has helped attract and keep UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College students in the Valley who go on to start good-paying careers in the local tech industry.
They like the Okanagan’s mix of big-city amenities with abundant outdoor recreation nearby.
And they rent and buy homes, but not in suburbia.
Most tend to gravitate downtown where they can live maintenance free and walk and cycle to work, shopping and entertainment.