Newsletter - Eagles Watch 16th Sept
Volume 3, Issue 8, September 15th, 2006
Owner Matters Brian Dobbin comments on Nettec transaction
As you may have heard, Newfound and its resorts have recently gone public in a reverse takeover of an AIM company on the London Stock Exchange. Aside from us receiving a majority of shares in the new Newfound public company, we have also raised over $40 million for the company. We are well positioned now to continue the company's expansion and in particular strengthening our commitment to Humber Valley Resort. We will be announcing new additions to the resort in the near future, and I am very pleased with the progress being made on resort operations. We understand clearly that the growth of the resort as a holiday and retreat destination is the key to our growth as a whole. I look forward to you seeing better access to the resort, better experiences being offered there and better communications. Now we have completed the transformation of the last year we can focus ourselves solely again on building and improving the Newfound group.
Construction of new ramps for Humber Valley Resort has started
Construction of two highway ramps on Exit 11 to provide access both ways onto the Trans Canada Highway has commenced. The ramps are being built at the west end of Rapid Pond, near the existing tunnel that provides access to the bridge leading across The Humber River to the Resort. They will allow Resort Guests to avoid driving through the community of Little Rapids when traveling to and from Corner Brook and Strawberry Hill. The work is expected to be completed by mid-November.
Works started on TCH exit for Resort guests coming from Corner Brook.
Construction update
Chalets either complete or currently under construction this year now number 65. After several weeks of negotiation an agreement has finally been reached with one of the largest home builders in the province to join the current contractors constructing chalets at Humber Valley Resort. The new contractor has been on site this week and work has already started on the first of many chalets they are expected to build, creating real momentum to the construction program.
MARKETING MATTERS
Positive media coverage continues
Humber Valley Resort continues to garner significant attention from mainstream, travel and property media. The Resort featured very positively in the piece John Bovill wrote for the Sunday Express magazine on September 3. His excellent article promoted Humber Valley as the prefect all-season family retreat. Other recent articles include full page spreads in the Evening Standard on August 16 and The Scotsman on September 6. (http://living.scotsman.com/travel.cfm?id=1312252006).
Representatives of property media outlets included Andrea Watson, Property Editor at The Express, who visited Humber Valley in August. She truly enjoyed her time at the resort and this was reflected in her positive feature, which was published on August 30.
Other recent publications featuring Humber Valley Resort include Hot Property magazine on the 8th of September, House Beautiful magazine, October issue and House Hunters in the Sun magazine, September issue.
Future coverage
Upcoming articles will be provided by Ed Coode, UK Olympic rower, who visited Humber Valley Resort on behalf of Country Life Magazine, which commissioned Ed to write a wilderness-angled feature for their upcoming travel supplement and Maxine Ashford, a reporter from the South Wales Echo also visited the resort in August. Both trips were a great success and their features are expected in the coming months.
Meanwhile, Newfound Group CEO Brian Dobbin will be the focus of a documentary by Venture. Produced by CBC Television, Venture is a prestigious business program that airs right across the country. Their interest was sparked by what has been achieved at Humber Valley to date and coverage will have significant impact in raising the Resort's profile throughout Canada.
Representatives of the program were at the resort for about a week in early September. They filmed the charter flight arrival at Deer Lake, interviewed owners Jim and Sue Mitchell, attended the official opening of The River Course, and completed extensive footage of the Resort.
The official opening of The River Course on September 8 (see separate story below) was attended by Jock Howard, Senior Editor at Golf World, Vic Robbie, Editor of Golf & Travel, and Owen Blackhurst, Travel Editor at Golf Punk who all flew out to Humber Valley. They were very impressed with the course and the Resort and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Jock Howard particularly liked the way chalets had been very subtly worked around the golf course without being obvious or intrusive like so many other resorts around the world. All will be writing features in the coming months.
Planned visits
Graham Woods, Director of Photography at The Times magazine, will be visiting the resort in October. His multi-page spread will be a photography piece featuring images of Humber Valley and Newfoundland. Winter press trips are currently being planned and it is expected that a number of writers from national newspapers as well as regional and consumer publications will visit the resort by the end of the season.
JUST FOR FUN
The River Course officially opened
A great mix of local, provincial and federal dignitaries and politicians, partners from the business community, loyal local golfers, several chalet owners and members of the media took part as The River Course was officially opened on September 8. Course designer Doug Carrick, Newfound Group CEO Brian Dobbin, and Managing Director Mike Clewer teed off from the 10th hole to mark the official opening. This was followed by a fun event with prizes and a dinner and presentation afterwards. The event was very well received by all attending. Willy Hamilton, an owner at the Resort, noted "I wanted to thank everyone at the resort for such a fantastic time at the Opening. As always everything and everyone was first class." Owners Guy Stratford and Kim Mitchell, echoed those sentiments. "We felt really honored to be included in such a special event...Congratulations to all on such a well organized day." In addition to the international media attending the event local representation was covered by The Western Star newspaper and CFCB Radio.
Doug Carrick, The River Course designer hitting the inaugural ball off the 10th tee in front of an enthusiastic gallery – despite the pressure Doug actually won the longest drive competition for his excellent tee shot!!
Future coverage
Upcoming articles will be provided by Ed Coode, UK Olympic rower, who visited Humber Valley Resort on behalf of Country Life Magazine, which commissioned Ed to write a wilderness-angled feature for their upcoming travel supplement and Maxine Ashford, a reporter from the South Wales Echo also visited the resort in August. Both trips were a great success and their features are expected in the coming months.
Meanwhile, Newfound Group CEO Brian Dobbin will be the focus of a documentary by Venture. Produced by CBC Television, Venture is a prestigious business program that airs right across the country. Their interest was sparked by what has been achieved at Humber Valley to date and coverage will have significant impact in raising the Resort's profile throughout Canada.
Representatives of the program were at the resort for about a week in early September. They filmed the charter flight arrival at Deer Lake, interviewed owners Jim and Sue Mitchell, attended the official opening of The River Course, and completed extensive footage of the Resort.
The official opening of The River Course on September 8 (see separate story below) was attended by Jock Howard, Senior Editor at Golf World, Vic Robbie, Editor of Golf & Travel, and Owen Blackhurst, Travel Editor at Golf Punk who all flew out to Humber Valley. They were very impressed with the course and the Resort and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Jock Howard particularly liked the way chalets had been very subtly worked around the golf course without being obvious or intrusive like so many other resorts around the world. All will be writing features in the coming months.
Planned visits
Graham Woods, Director of Photography at The Times magazine, will be visiting the resort in October. His multi-page spread will be a photography piece featuring images of Humber Valley and Newfoundland. Winter press trips are currently being planned and it is expected that a number of writers from national newspapers as well as regional and consumer publications will visit the resort by the end of the season.
JUST FOR FUN
The River Course officially opened
A great mix of local, provincial and federal dignitaries and politicians, partners from the business community, loyal local golfers, several chalet owners and members of the media took part as The River Course was officially opened on September 8. Course designer Doug Carrick, Newfound Group CEO Brian Dobbin, and Managing Director Mike Clewer teed off from the 10th hole to mark the official opening. This was followed by a fun event with prizes and a dinner and presentation afterwards. The event was very well received by all attending. Willy Hamilton, an owner at the Resort, noted "I wanted to thank everyone at the resort for such a fantastic time at the Opening. As always everything and everyone was first class." Owners Guy Stratford and Kim Mitchell, echoed those sentiments. "We felt really honored to be included in such a special event...Congratulations to all on such a well organized day." In addition to the international media attending the event local representation was covered by The Western Star newspaper and CFCB Radio.
Doug Carrick, The River Course designer hitting the inaugural ball off the 10th tee in front of an enthusiastic gallery – despite the pressure Doug actually won the longest drive competition for his excellent tee shot!!
Season Ski passes now available for Marble Mountain
October 28, 2006, is the deadline for ski enthusiasts to purchase seasons passes for Marble Mountain at the lowest rates of the season. Although autumn has yet to descend, many people in the Humber Valley are already thinking about the upcoming ski season. Some local residents are optimistically predicting a snowy winter season and the folks at Marble Mountain are no exception, as information on season's passes are now available at: http://www.skimarble.com/seasonspass.php
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