Princess Unveils Plans for Fifth Alaska Wilderness Lodge
Company Pioneers Development of State's Newest "Undiscovered" Tourism Area -- Wrangell-St. Elias National Park -- Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge to Open Summer 2002
Continuing its commitment to invest in Alaska tourism and develop innovative tour programs in the state, Princess has announced plans to build a brand new $10 million wilderness lodge on land bordering the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, considered one of the most spectacular destinations in the state and the largest national park in the U.S.
The lodge, to be named the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, will be located on more than 200 acres in the Glennallan and Copper River area of south central Alaska, and situated at the junction of the Klutina River and the Copper River, of Copper River King Salmon fame, with breathtaking views of the awe-inspiring Mt. Wrangell, Mt. Drum and Mt. Blackburn. Featuring approximately 100 rooms, the lodge will open for the 2002 summer season.
This project marks the first time a premier property will be built in the area. The new lodge will accommodate the company's summer cruisetour passengers as well as local Alaskans.
"We're making yet another major investment in Alaska with this new lodge," said Dean Brown, president of Princess Tours. "Since 1987 we have committed approximately $125 million to building premium wilderness lodges throughout the state, something no other cruisetour company has done, and this really differentiates the Princess Alaska experience. Now Princess is once again taking the lead in the industry and bringing a first-class property to one of Alaska's most beautiful and, until now, overlooked areas."
This is the first major tourism project for the Wrangell-St. Elias area, which is one of the state's best-kept secrets. It offers an absolutely stunning setting for a lodge, with plenty of tour opportunities in the surrounding area, plus it will be located just four miles from the Wrangell-St. Elias visitors center the National Park Service is opening in 2002.
In keeping with its dramatic location, the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge will combine the special architectural elements of historic national park lodges with old Alaskan mining buildings to create a unique environment for its visitors. As with Princess' other wilderness lodges, which number four throughout the state, the new property will take full advantage of its spectacular setting while offering guests all the comforts that have come to be an expected part of a Princess Alaska cruisetour. Public areas will include a restaurant, mountain viewing room, lounge and meeting room.
The lodge's special location will offer stunning views and overlook the national park. Often referred to as the "mountain kingdom of North America," Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest in the national park system. It includes North America's largest assemblage of glaciers and the greatest number of mountain peaks above 16,000 feet. With the opening of the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, future cruisetour passengers will be able to visit three of the U.S.'s largest national parks - Glacier Bay, Denali and Wrangell-St. Elias - all in one tour.
Currently, the only facilities available in this area are several small motels and one of Alaska's oldest roadhouses, and campers represent the park's primary visitors. "We're quite excited to launch the first premier property in the area, and to introduce our guests to a brand new way to experience this hidden treasure of Alaska," said Brown.
The Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge joins the company's other riverside lodges - Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge, Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. Each property is set in a scenic riverside location and offers premier accommodations plus a wide range of local area tour options. Wilderness lodge stays are a primary component of Princess' unique cruisetour experience, which combines a Gulf of Alaska cruise with a land tour segment of three to ten days.
Note: An electronic copy of this release, and access to Princess' on-line Newsroom containing past news releases, background information and photography, is available at www.princess.com.
