Turning the Sault into 'Eden'.

Philip Garforth wants to replicate Eden on Sault Ste. Marie's waterfront.

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The lead developer for the city's Gateway site finally unveiled his much-anticipated master plan to city councillors and staff behind closed doors in the Sault, May 4.

The Toronto developer has assembled an impressive team of internationally-experienced design, operating and financial partners in the hopes of transforming the Sault's brownfield Gateway site into an upscale, mega-tourist attraction that will rival anything in Ontario or the United States Midwest.

After more than six years and several unsuccessful bids by four previous developers, Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation president Bruce Strapp says the city has finally landed a "great team" with a "good financial package" to move the ambitious $53.7-million project forward.

The tourist attraction component of the site will be called Borealis, named after the forest-based story it will tell.

Inspired by the bio-domes and tropical rain forests of the Eden Project in Cornwall, England, it will the only project of its kind in North America, combining "education with entertainment," says David Marshall, research analyst for Design International, the project's architects.

The Garforth Group, which has spun off subsidiary Legacy Quest Developments Inc. to oversee the Sault project, also introduced their development team. It includes Design International, Select Contracts Group, who will operate the site, and Bell Canada.

The developers have assembled a financial team that includes an undisclosed New York investment group and Sault Ste. Marie's Northern Credit Union.

Garforth is pushing to start construction as early as August with an eye to opening in 2007.

"I'm ready to get moving and I'm probably as anxious as anybody up there to get this going," says Garforth in an interview from his Toronto office. "It's now up to (city) council to do their work and it's got to be expeditiously."

Strapp could not provide a time frame when construction tenders will be called this year, depending upon council approval, finalizing agreements and NOHFC funding approval.

Garforth wants shovels in ground by late August, which Strapp describes as a "best case scenario."

The project now enters a due diligence phase to finalize legal agreements, transfer the city's $1.8 million, 14-acre property to the Garforth Group, plus secure $15 million from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC).

Project planners are predicting the Gateway site will draw one million visitors annually including 250,000 paid admissions to the Borealis attraction.

They intend to tap into a mostly U.S. Midwest-Ontario market and the 42 million people who live within a seven-hour drive of the Sault.

Gateway is expected to create nearly 1,500 jobs, $50 million in visitor spending and $21.6 million in annual tax revenue.

The site's main feature will be a massive 35,000-square-foot green house covered by a large transparent dome made of teflon-like material, housing various environments of plants and trees.

Plans call for a 144-room Radisson hotel with a 10,000-square-foot spa and an 800-seat 4-D theatre.

"We're tapping into a market that definitely in the process of expanding, the Baby Boomers as they retire and spas are a huge trend right now," says Marshall.

To address what the designers say is a serious lack of brand retail in Sault Ste. Marie, the project includes 80,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space including a Boston Pizza, Bell World, T.G.I.F. and a specialty grocery store.

About 30,000 square feet of space along the waterfront has been set aside to build Ontario's first ice hotel during the winter months.

A new Agawa Canyon tour train station will be incorporated into the site.

The Garforth Group has worked in the development and construction industry since the 1980s, working on hotels, restaurants, residential developments and office space around the world.

Design International, the project architects, are a global company with a variety of retail and mixed-use developments in Asia, Europe and Middle East.

Their Ontario projects include Empress Walk in North York and BCE Place in Toronto.

Bell Canada will contribute to project's electronics and telecommunications technology but will also become a tenant in Gateway's retail component.

Select Contracts of Whistler, B.C., which designs, build and operates leisure and entertainment attractions globally will operate the $23.3 million Borealis tourist component.

Integrity Events, the operators of Orillia's Casino Rama, will run the 800-seat theatre.

www.garforthgroup.com

By IAN ROSS

Northern Ontario Business