Day Parking Available February 1 - 10 and in March to Help Drive Regional
Guests to Whistler

Sea to Sky Checkpoint in effect Feb. 11 - 28 from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm

Parking a result of collaborative efforts between Whistler Blackcomb, VANOC and the Resort Municipality of Whistler

WHISTLER, BC, Jan. 26 /CNW/ - Guests wanting to experience the record breaking snow at Whistler Blackcomb before the 2010 Olympic Winter Games begin now have some additional transportation options. Additional parking spots have been sourced to add to existing private bus carrier service options, further enabling day skiers and riders to enjoy the mountains in early February and again in March. Advance booking for parking spaces is available and strongly recommended.

Covered indoor and outdoor parking places have been sourced in seven locations in and around Whistler Village which will be managed by Advanced Parking Systems Ltd. A minimum of 1,300 paid parking spaces will be available daily from February 1-10 and throughout March. Parking spaces start at $20 for a 12 hour period. Skiers and riders are strongly recommended to reserve their parking spot in advance with the ability to pre-purchase parking spaces online at www.advancednet.ca starting February 1 .

"With over 90 per cent of the mountains open in February and March, Whistler Blackcomb will be an incredible time to ski and ride," says Doug Forseth , Whistler Blackcomb senior vice president of operations. "We are pleased to offer expanded parking facilities through the pre and post Games periods to share the phenomenal conditions with our regional guests. That said, the development of the increased day skier/rider parking capacity has been done responsibly to ensure the existing Olympic traffic mitigation efforts will achieve the desired traffic reduction targets."

There will be no day skier parking available from February 11-28, 2010. Day skiers and riders are encouraged to travel to Whistler on private carriers from Vancouver .

In addition to the underground parking outlined above, Lot 10, located at the Whistler Driving Range, will be open February 1-7 and March 1-21. Pricing for Lot 10 is $20 for a 12 hour period with lot operations commencing at 6a.m. Guests can pre-purchase parking online at advancednet.ca and via on-site meters. Parking after 4:00p.m. will be available during these time periods for $10 with the payment made on-site. Pre-purchase is not available for evening parking.

The Whistler North parking lot, located 2.5km north of Whistler Village off Highway 99, will be open February 1-10 and March 1-21. Pricing for Lot 11 in February is $20 between 7:30a.m. and 6:00p.m. and $10 in March and includes a free shuttle to and from the base of the mountains up to 6pm daily.

During the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Metro Vancouver-based spectators need to travel to Whistler via the Olympic Bus Network. There is no spectator parking at Olympic venues. From February 11 - 28, the best option for skiers and riders wishing to access Whistler Blackcomb, is to leave the car at home and book a ride with one of the following convenient transportation operators: RideBooker.com, SnowBus, Pacific Coach Lines and Greyhound. For those who live in Whistler, Squamish or Pemberton, visit the BC Transit web site to learn more about their enhanced service in February. For bookings on the Olympic Bus Network and private carriers, BC Transit schedules, the Sea to Sky checkpoint and all your Games-time travel information, visit travelsmart2010.ca.

Consistently ranked as North America's top ski and snowboard resort, Whistler Blackcomb gets ready to welcome the world in 2010 as a host venue for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. With uninterrupted skiing, riding and sightseeing available throughout the winter, season two of the highly acclaimed PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, and the best deals of the season guaranteed before November 15 , Whistler Blackcomb continues to raise the level of mountain excitement for its guests. Located a scenic two-hour drive north of Vancouver , Canada up the spectacular, newly-finished Sea to Sky Highway, this resort is home to Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, which boast one vertical mile of incredible skiing and riding. With over 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, 200 trails, and 8,171 acres of skiable terrain, the choices of where and what to ski/ride at Whistler Blackcomb from beginner to advanced terrain are staggering. Joined at the base by a vibrant pedestrian village filled with award-winning après bars, restaurants, patios, cafes, shops, galleries and spas, and surrounded by breathtaking scenery, this four-season resort is spectacular. For more information, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

About Intrawest

Intrawest is a leader in the development and management of experiential destination resorts. The Company has a network of resorts at North America's most popular mountain destinations including Whistler Blackcomb, a host venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and Canadian Mountain Holidays, the largest heli-skiing operation in the world. In addition, Intrawest markets and sells real estate at its resorts in North America . Intrawest is headquartered in Vancouver , British Columbia. For more information, visit www.intrawest.com

Proud to be a venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

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Planning on being in Whistler during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games?

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For further information: Public Relations, [phone], [email protected]