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B.C.'s Rising Real Estate Stars

Jim Sutherland

| July 7, 2010

Image by: Craig LaRotonda

Only in B.C. would a past Playboy model,  a former teen heartthrob and scads and scads  of ex-NHLers try for a second career in  real estate development. As many of them are finding out, it's not as easy as it looks.

As March turned to April, events within Vancouver Island’s land development industry unfolded with quotidian predictability. In Langford ex-NHLer Len Barrie’s Bear Mountain Resort received creditor protection. In Ladysmith a proposed condominium development by former pro Geoff Courtnall and film and TV star Pamela Anderson was put on indefinite hold. In Victoria there was brighter news as a mixed-use development involving former Canuck star Trevor Linden broke ground. And hey! Up in Nanaimo a basement was dug that involved no sport or entertainment celebrity whatsoever. 

Slideshow: When the Spotlight Dims, B.C. Celebrities Get into Real Estate

Indeed, all over B.C. that’s the kind of year it’s been: some good news, some bad news – but, good or bad, as much star power showing up in the business pages as in sports and entertainment. Let other actors and athletes go into rehab. Ours are more likely to be building the rehab centre, as long as the public-spirited act helps them get the rezoning they need to add 20 more units to the condo tower behind the 14th green. 

But why? In most other jurisdictions, aging actors and ex-jocks are pitching diets or selling cars, not risking their savings and reputations to remake cities or turn placid mountaintops into suburban dreams. Is it because B.C. is somehow different? Or are the actors and athletes somehow different? Is it because they relish the challenge and rise to it? Or because, with their money and reputations, they are given the chances that others are denied?

To find out, we employed a simple methodology: we asked them. Their responses follow, but first a quick look at the astonishing array of development projects our celebrities have got themselves into. 

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Found this in the

Submitted by gspinner (not verified) on Fri, 2010-08-27 12:13.

Found this in the newspaper Kelowna, August 2010 Workers, contractors waiting to be paid By Andrew Rempel Okanagan Saturday Some construction staff working at the Trepanier Manor development in Peachland haven't been paid since April. "I've got outstanding invoices from April that they haven't paid. There are subtrades waiting to get paid," said Alan Ingram who runs a water landscape business. "I'm going to lose my house over this, and nobody's stepping up to the plate and saying why they have no money". Ingram said he's heard explanations about the banking woes and that Trepanier Manor is getting sued, but the bottom line is: "There's no money there, and us little guys are getting the shaft." "I'd have to sit and wait for a year while the court issue a settlement, and then ... I'm not getting any money and my house is gone," he said. Ingram claims he will be taking the developer Scott Wilshaw to small-claims court. Trepanier Manor is a hotel and 20 homes development located in Peachland. *** Years ago I had a small dispute with Scott Wilshaw. He appeared to me to be arrogant and gave little thought to as to how he interacted with people, unless it was in his interest. He had total disregard for traffic laws, as he drove around in his black Range Rover with Trepanier Manor plastered all over the sides. Disregard for little traffic laws is often the tip of the iceberg for disregard of all laws and regulations that got into the way of his greed. I figured that it was only a matter of time before Trepanier Manor would be caught up in its own arrogance and lies. It has finally happened. The community of Peachland has totally been duped by a group of slick marketers and developer Scott Wilshaw at the top. Trepanier Manor created a lot of promises that have turned out to be a litany of dashed hopes and dreams for many. Chris *** Scott Wilshaw is a goon in development and used intimidation to hide his lack of skills and had his little corrupt team all covering up their stupidity. A lot of leaches crawled around Scott Wilshaw and Trepanier Manor, but now they all all running and hiding in hopes no one reviews their internal deals. Unfortunately they will take down allot of hard working people that believed their continuous BS. The blame solely lies on Scott Wilshaw, he is a lying, cheating, stealing bastard. Rick W. *** Investment Trepanier Manor - Scott Wilshaw Friends invested a few years ago when Wilshaw managed to build up some hype. Still invested. Would have been better off setting the money on fire. Matcon Construction Ltd. is suing him for Millions! Several other pending lawsuits! Fraud cases! Long Delays! Construction was supposed to start in 2006 but there is not even a footing yet. It certainly hasn't been the "get 'um before they are gone" project that it was touted to be. Cardan Construction would be stupid to get involved with this "Disaster Manor" project.

Yes, made some research.

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 2010-08-08 12:40.

Yes, made some research. Trepanier Manor is no longer a member of the small luxury hotel group www.slh.com and there is no listing any more under sotheby's realty, christie's real estate. Anyone knows more about this?

Rich Real Estate Rookies ...

Submitted by Yves (not verified) on Thu, 2010-07-22 10:13.

Rich Real Estate Rookies ... the foundation cement of every great bubble, be it tulips hundreds of years ago or real estate today. Every businessman worth his salt with his or her feet firmly on the ground knows that when (*not* if ... when) interest rates start that climb up, the current prices per square foot will go sideways, if not down. Real Estate is demand driven, true, but celebrities with trucks of cash sold on untold riches in the future when the market is peaking is a classic con. Smart celebrities invest in serious business, such as Jason Priestly's venture in Black Hills Winery. Condos in Ladysmith? Very nice but good luck.