Pierre Rochon, executive vice-president of the Brigil Group, said Wednesday that the proposed project will feature factory outlets, restaurants, a drugstore, hotel and gas station at Limoges, east of Ottawa on Highway 417.
He said the company is close to deals for the food store and gas station. It plans to start construction next spring on a 350,000-square-foot development that will take five to seven years to complete.
The $45-million Calypso Waterpark was a big success in its first season, attracting as many as 25,000 paying visitors and snarling traffic on one hot weekend in July.
Calypso executive vice-president Sylvain Lauzon said the addition of a hotel and retail services will help make the area a tourist destination.
"We thought we could get 300,000 paying visitors in the first year and we exceeded that by 20 per cent to 25 per cent," Lauzon said. "We were pleasantly surprised that 40 per cent came from Montreal."
Rochon said that 10 to 15 brand-name factory retail outlets on the property adjacent to Highway 417 will be aimed at the 15,000 to 30,000 vehicles that pass by daily.
"The factory outlet power centre concept works well in major markets but there is nothing like it here."
Calypso's Lauzon said the 100-acre property has 35 water rides and space to grow. "We are going to add more attractions next summer and a camping ground the following year."
He said a high-end driving range and mini-putt course is under development.
SOURCE: By Bert Hill, The Ottawa Citizen
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