Jasper (AB), Canada – Edmonton, Alberta business man John Day has had his share of memorable moments, and the Marmot Basin chairman and shareholder was smiling broadly after helping last week to officially open the Jasper ski resort’s newest chairlifts, the C$6 million Paradise high speed quad chair and the School House triple chair.

“These two new lifts constitute the largest ski lift development in Canada this year, and their opening is a big story not only for Marmot Basin and Jasper, but also for Alberta tourism,” states Day. “With the installation of these two new lifts, along with the Canadian Rockies Express quad chair in 2009, it is impressive to consider that Marmot has now installed more new high-speed quad chairs and lifts in the past three years than any other Canadian ski resort. Skiers are now enjoying about 24 percent more time on our slopes and are thrilled with the changes we have made.”

Both new lifts will improve the Marmot Basin experience in several ways. With a vertical rise of 410m (1,345 ft.), the Paradise chair is 70 percent longer than the old chair  and almost twice as fast, with a ride time of under five minutes. The School House chair services novice runs to improve the learning experience for new skiers and boarders.

“Marmot Basin’s new shareholder group has spent C$25 million on operational ski area improvements since 2003, including the addition of state-of-the-art snowmaking, a new terrain park, new guest services and rental shop, numerous renovations throughout chalets, and the Kokanee Glacier Sundeck,” comments Dave Gibson, Marmot Basin’s CEO & President. “It is an extraordinary investment considering all this development has occurred in a national park and during very tough economic times – and all without the benefit of real estate revenue which many other ski resorts depend on.”

Gibson adds, “These improvements will continue to have a positive and measurable economic impact on our entire region, and we’re not finished yet.”