STAMFORD, Conn., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- President and CEO of Centerplate Janet Steinmayer announced today the signing of a long-term contract with Tourism Whistler, which operates the TELUS Whistler Conference Centre in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Centerplate is scheduled take over food and beverage operations of the world-class facility in the fall.
"We are delighted to have been chosen as the exclusive food and beverage provider for one of western Canada's most impressive convention venues," said Steinmayer. "It will be a perfect complement to Centerplate's existing partnership with the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, where we have overseen the culinary operations of award-winning events for 20 years."
Nelson Drake, formerly of Centerplate's Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre, will lead the Whistler team as director of food and beverage, focusing on their mission of creating guest experiences unique to the region. Drake also brings 12-years of hotel management expertise to this position.
"Centerplate brings decades of experience in providing exceptional food and beverage service to clients with unique facilities and customer needs," said Diana Lyons, vice president of operations for Tourism Whistler. "We are looking forward to working with Centerplate to grow the business for the TELUS Whistler Conference Centre and to identify new opportunities for cross-selling Vancouver and Whistler as pre- and post-conference destinations."
Drake and the culinary team have already begun to design their culinary program that is representative of Whistler and the surrounding region. One feature includes "Happy Earth Menus" for breakfast, lunch and dinner that are composed of certified organic, free range and wild foods all in keeping with Whistler's environmental prowess and Centerplate's mission to regionalize the culinary offerings of its facilities. The Centre's "Oh, Canada!" reception will feature a culinary tour across the country, with dishes ranging from seafood from the Maritime Provinces to the bison of the Prairie Provinces. Yet another dining option will be the "West Coast Classics" dinners that feature roasted Pacific sablefish, freshly caught off the coast of Vancouver Island. In addition, Centerplate has outfitted the Centre with beautiful Royal Doulton Bone China to complement the many culinary options showcasing the finest that Vancouver has to offer.
Having completed a $12 million modernization project in 2003, the TELUS Whistler Conference Centre offers more than 40,000 square feet of rentable meeting space and the capacity to host more than 2,000 delegates. The striking architecture is highlighted by a spectacular 40-foot, three-faceted, Rumford fireplace built from locally quarried basalt rock. Built in keeping with Whistler's own unique mountain style, the Centre features a glass-enclosed Grand Foyer with incredible views of the surrounding Blackcomb and Whistler mountains.
A year-round leisure and meeting destination, Whistler is nestled among the majestic Coast Mountains only 75 miles north of Vancouver. Chosen, along with Vancouver, to host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler is the site of the alpine, nordic and sliding events. Visitors to the resort can select from a range of accommodations totaling 3,200 hotel rooms, and more than 5,000 other tourist accommodation units including condos, B&Bs and chalets.
About Centerplate
Centerplate crafts and delivers extraordinary guest experiences in about 130 prominent sports, entertainment and convention venues across North America. Centerplate has provided its services to many high profile events including 24 World Series games, 9 U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 10 Super Bowls, 9 NCAA Final Four Men's Basketball Tournaments and 14 World Cup Soccer games. Visit the company online at http://www.centerplate.com/.
About Tourism Whistler
Tourism Whistler is the member-based marketing and sales organization representing Whistler, operating the TELUS Whistler Conference Centre, the Whistler Golf Club, the Whistler Visitor Centres and tourismwhistler.com, as well as 1-800-WHISTLER and whistler.com - Whistler's official source for visitor bookings and information. As the convention and visitors bureau for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage and operate properties or businesses on resort lands including hotels, restaurants, activity operators and retail shops.
Contact:
Jamie Estes
(502) 721-0335X100
