Hiring Frenzy Begins at The Rise

Golf and Wine Resort to Create 200 Jobs in Upper Okanagan in 2006

March 29, 2006, Vernon –The Rise (www.TheRise.ca), the Okanagan’s premier golf and winery resort community, is in rapid expansion mode and will create more than 200 jobs in the next year. Facing an increasingly tight job market, the hilltop resort launched an aggressive recruitment campaign in several daily papers throughout the Okanagan and Western Canada and has added a career section to its website (see address below). Its first priority is to expand the management and resort team and is currently seeking financial, administrative, building and golf industry professionals to fill several key positions.

With season two of The Rise currently underway and construction starting on home sites, and continuing on infrastructure, the resort will require more than 100 constructions jobs to be filled. To complete the golf course, it is looking to fill 30 positions immediately and will be creating an additional 25 to 30 positions by the end of 2006. The majority of the construction jobs created will be filled by contractors and subcontractors and interested parties are advised to contact The Rise (careers@therise.ca ) and/or check the career section on the website. On the corporate side, it will be filling 10 – 15 positions immediately in administration, accounting, and sales and will need to fill another 25 – 30 positions by years end.

"There are incredible opportunities at The Rise for those looking to build a career in development and tourism by working for the only resort community that offers it all," said Leona Snider, president and CEO of The Rise, "With on-site vineyards and winery, a Fred Couples Signature Golf Course, a private lakeside beach club, and dramatic lake views, The Rise has no equal in the Okanagan Valley."

The Rise is hoping to fill positions with local talent, but the strong growth in Okanagan tourism has created a tight job market and the resort community will be looking for talented applicants through out Canada. According to the Okanagan Partnership, (www.okanaganpartnership.ca ), tourism is Okanagan’s largest economic cluster and it is driven by a broad set of attractions including wineries, recreation services, festivals, and heritage institutions. The tourism industry is playing a significant role in the Okanagan’s current boom.  

With factors such as inflation, market prices, etc, it is hard to determine over a 15 year timeframe the full potential, but based on the perspective of dollars that are, and will be circulated in the community, a study by Dave Forai, Economic Development Manager for the Greater Vernon Services Commission, estimated that:

• Visitors to The Rise Winery will spend $30 million over 15 years
• Visitors to The Rise Golf Course will spend over $29 million over 15 years

Other Facts on BC’s Growing Tourism Industry:

• $9 billion. The amount B.C. tourism is generating annually in visitor spending, according to Michael Campbell, chairman of the Council of Tourism Associations of B.C.
• $1 billion. Amount returned to general revenue from B.C. to pay for services such as health and education, according to Campbell.
• Tourism and the Wine and Beverage industries together make up for 41.3% of employment in the Okanagan. (Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey).

Interested parties may also email careers@therise.ca .