By David F. Rooney
The Chamber of Commerce enjoyed a relatively successful year in 2011. Revenues were down slightly to $363,498 from $374,834 in 2010, but it still came ahead of expenses by $24,511 last year versus $20,409 in 2010, according to its financial statement which was released during its annual general meeting at Isabella’s Ristorante on Wednesday.
Members packed the restaurant, where they dined on its terrific lasagna, to meet the Chamber’s new executive director, former West Jet marketing executive Judy Goodman, and to hear Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s Rod Kessler talk about the great year the resort had this season.
Kessler said the resort continues to experience success and he believes Revelstoke’s authenticity is one of the reasons for that success. Unfortunately that authenticity didn’t count when Northlands, the company that owns RMR, decided to change the name of the residential complex from Nels Nelsen Lodge to Sutton Place. The name change disappointed and irritated many local residents who regarded it as disrespectful to the community.
“Sutton Place is an upscale, recognized brand,” he said in response to a question from The Current at the end of his presentation. He said the Nels Nelsen name may be revived for another part of the resort complex in the future.
