The new owners of Lac Le Jeune Resort say the project is a dream come true, and they expect to open next month after shuttering nearly five years ago.
The resort was last assessed at $2.3 million and the new owners, former Tourism Kamloops CEO Monica Dickinson and former CEO of Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Vivek Sharma, say they’re “all in.”
The resort closed to the public in the fall of 2019 and, according to Sharma, a previous owner made an attempt at revitalizing the location before he acquired it with Dickinson in February of this year.
“This is a labor of love for us. This is a legacy project for us and, I say this humbly, legacy in the sense that this is something that we are trying to create for ourselves,” Sharma said.
“Our hope and dream is that, you know, over the next three to five years, we keep investing back into the business because we know how valuable this resort is to the community, to the destination, and we want to bring it back to where it belongs and where it used to belong.”
The resort boasts 21 guest rooms and six rustic cabins sitting on five acres of land. The resort will be open year-round.
Still work to be done
With the opening date set for May 16, Dickinson said there’s still much work to be done — including a new paint job, landscaping, dock improvements and an updated menu. She said new linens, towels, bathrobes and other items will be brought in as well.
“We’re trying to focus on the bits and pieces of this resort that people are seeking most. And so, like I said, it's about building those memorable moments,” Dickinson said.
“I think realistically, we need to get the doors open and have the business operating so that we can continue to reinvest back in the business, and, you know, that is our plan.”
The duo said the resort already has two weddings booked later this year and several more “in the hopper” for next year. Sharma said the resort has plans to host reunions, wedding anniversaries and celebrations of life.
He said while the resort has a long history in the local community — dating back to the late 1970s — they’re focusing on how they can appeal to the international market as well.
“Even though we are not a large resort, the international market is changing as to how they travel through Kamloops and we are hoping that will be one of those places which will change the perception of Kamloops,” Sharma said.
“The drive-by international market who is seeking that true authentic Canadian experience is something that we're really focused on.”
The resort currently has six staff and are focused on filling more seasonal positions by the time it opens.
Grateful for second chance
Sharma previously left his positions with the Tourism Industry Association of B.C., the B.C. Hotel Association and the B.C. Chamber of Commerce following news reports that he made distasteful comments at the opening of the B.C. Tourism and Hospitality Conference in March of 2022.
“That day, unfortunately, I let myself down, I let my values down, I let my friends, family, the industry — and from there on, I think there was an opportunity for me to learn and grow and reflect,” Sharma said.
“To say that I made a mistake is an understatement and I will live that moment for the rest of my life. However, I am also determined that I will live it through learning and not regret.”
Sharma said the resort was one of dozens of locations he had looked at purchasing several years ago, but he never made the leap.
During the fallout following his sexist comments, Sharma said he received advice from close friends to make a career change and potentially return to working overseas. He said he wasn’t ready to “throw in the towel.”
“I had built a life, I had built a brand, and that all was gone. But, you know, here I am and I'm here because of the love, the support that people gave me through second chances,” he said.
“The courses I have taken — I didn't take the courses the following day, the following week, or even the following month. I actually had a pause in my life for almost a year to self-reflect. And then I chose that, ’OK, what do I really want to learn? You know, and how am I going to demonstrate everything that I'm learning?’”
Sharma and Dickinson have been principles of Polaris Advisory since 2022, providing consulting services with hospitality brands nationally and internationally, according to Polaris Advisory.
“We both came from the industry but we had touched different aspects of the industry and I think it was just natural that we could complement our skills,” Sharma said.
