Looks us ski bums without millionaire parents will finally be able to own a little piece of Whistler too. Last week Whistler announced that they will try to raise around $300 million in cash through an initial public offering (although they haven't disclosed when this will happen). Fortress Investment Group LLC, which owns Intrawest (the parent company of Whistler), has been trying to unload the resort for a while and was nearly forced to auction it off during the Olympics. However, given the resort's new name recognition thanks to the 2010 Games, Fortress is hoping to attract more international ski bums than ever in an attempt to raise the asking price. Intrawest, Whistler’s parent company, will maintain a stake in the company, while an undisclosed slice will be sold to the rest of us.

Intrawest Looks to Spin Off Whistler Blackcomb in IPO...

Intrawest ULC will spin off its stake in the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort in British Columbia in an initial public offering. A securities filing by Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc. does not indicate either the number of shares to be sold or their offering price. Intrawest created Whistler Blackcomb in 1997 by merging the two adjacent resorts into North America’s largest ski resort. Intrawest was nearly forced by creditors to liquidate its stake in the resort a year ago even as it was preparing to host the alpine and Nordic events for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. 

In its filing, Whistler Blackcomb listed total revenues of CN$218.7 million for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2009, including CN$104.3 million for lift operations, CN$20.6 million for ski school operations and CN$40.1 million for retail and rental operations.