Schweitzer Mountain Resort is embarking on an aggressive development program that includes marketing some of its 7,000 acres of property to other developers; increasing air-travel access to Sandpoint; and engaging in joint marketing efforts with Hidden Lakes Golf Resort to create a year-round tourist destination in the Sandpoint area.


Schweitzers owner, Seattle-based Harbor Resorts LLC, already has begun a three-pronged development plan for the ski and summer resort property, says Harbor President Ron Cook.


The three components of that plan are: enhancing mountain operations; adding residential units and retail and other services to Schweitzer Village; and selling property surrounding the ski resort to outside developers for other projects, he says.


Schweitzer moved forward on the first two pieces last year with the opening of a new, six-person chairlift, the creation of new ski runs, and the launching of plans to begin construction this spring on a 50-unit retail-and-condominium building.


Cook says Harbor originally thought the third part of its development plan, selling property to outside developers, wouldnt fall into place for a decade. Interest from developers is so high, however, that we expect there to be some land development activity within the next couple of years, he says. Schweitzer hopes to sell 10- to 100-acre parcels of property.


Harbor Resorts envisions Schweitzer drawing real estate investors and guests from across the Western U.S., Cook says, but adds that beefing up Sandpoints airport facilities will be key to that plan.


To that end, Harbor Resorts has been in discussions with Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthornes office to try to obtain funding for airport improvements, Cook says.


The airport needs a couple of thingsit needs better instrumentation, (the runway) needs to be strengthened to be able to handle a heavier load, and it probably needs to be 500 to 800 feet longer, he says. The governors office is looking at different ways to provide funding for that.


Paul Davis, secretary of the Sandpoint Airport Advisory Board, says he hadnt heard about Harbors talks with the governors office. But he said representatives of Schweitzer and Hidden Lakes Golf Resort, near Sandpoint, recently told the board that they hope to start regular chartered air service into Sandpoint by next Thanksgiving.


Davis says the Federal Aviation Administration currently wont allow regularly scheduled commercial air service into Sandpoint because the airport doesnt meet requirements for that type of service. Schweitzer and Hidden Lakes, however, could provide chartered air service once a week or so, he says. The reality is, legally, if people wanted to they could start something this morning, but it wouldnt be scheduled service, he says. When you start bringing those things in on a scheduled basis, then you start running into the more restrictive regulations.


The Sandpoint airport still is in the process of updating its master plan, which is the first step necessary to improve the airport so it someday might meet FAA requirements for scheduled service, Davis says.


The presentation to the airport board was just one example of the growing cooperation between Harbor Resorts and the owner of Hidden Lakes Golf Resort, Dick Villelli.


Advertisements for Hidden Lakes are featured prominently in the lodge at Schweitzer, and Cook says were in contact with Villelli. Theres no formal relationship with those guys, but we try to jointly market (the resorts).


Harbor had, at one point, envisioned building its own golf course on its property, but Cook says that plan no longer is in the works.


Itd be very expensive. We gave it some modest consideration, but its not in our plans.


Working with Hidden Lakes helps Schweitzer round out its offerings as a year-round tourist destination, he says. Schweitzer also plans to market its own summertime activities, such as hiking and horseback riding, he says.