History

Gil Blutrich, Ernst and Young’s 2004 Entrepreneur of the Year, is the founder of Skyline International. With a background in both the real estate and the hospitality industries, Gil saw an opportunity in 1998 to invest in the Canadian extended-corporate-stay market, then under-serviced, by building a condominium portfolio owned by Skyline and other investors and managed by Skyline. This strategy paid off and by early 2001, Skyline had several hundred condominiums under contract and a burgeoning executive-stay business.

In late 2000, it became obvious that in order to achieve growth, Skyline would have to take on larger, more ambitious projects. The increased availability of larger commercial properties being marketed at prices well below replacement cost coupled with attractive medium and long term yields, provided the opportunity for growth the company was looking for.

By 2001, Skyline's success had attracted investors’ interest and, in anticipation of diversifying into the commercial real estate market, the Israel Land Development Company (“ILDC”) (www.ildc.co.il), an Israeli public company traded on the Tel Aviv stock exchange with market capitalization of several hundred million dollars, acquired approximately 30% of Skyline, with Gil, either directly or through his private investment and Gil’s development company in Israel (www.mishorimgroup.com) retaining the balance of equity. ILDC, one of the oldest companies in Israel (incorporated in 1908), is active in numerous real estate market owning a number of hotels and retail properties, as well as in the insurance, media and communications sectors.

In the aftermath of 9/11 and the SARS epidemic in Canada, Skyline saw potential in the hospitality industry and in 2004 Skyline opened the Pantages Suites Hotel & Spa in downtown Toronto (www.pantageshotel.com), a 110 room boutique hotel with a 12,000 sq. ft. state of the art conference facilities, 15 treatment room spa and lobby martini bar. In its first year of operation, the Pantages Suites Hotel & Spa was voted the “Best Luxury Hotel” in Toronto by Toronto.com, and obtained worldwide recognition.

In 2005, Skyline completed the development of the Cosmopolitan Hotel (www.cosmotoronto.com), located in the epicentre of Toronto’s financial district. The Cosmopolitan Hotel is a 97 room luxury boutique hotel, a Zen lifestyle environmentally chic oasis in the heart of the city, with the fantastic 8 Wine Bar (www.eightwinebar.com) and the superb Shizen Spa (www.shizenspa.com), the only five star rated spa in Toronto (rated by wayspa). The Cosmopolitan Hotel is the only Canadian hotel which made the Conde Nast Travel Magazine prestigious list as one of the 60 Very Best New Hotels around the world, and more recently the stylish Cosmopolitan Toronto has been nominated by Expedia travelers as one of the top one percent of nearly 80,000 properties offered by Expedia

Links to the hotels and our Resort along with all their amenities can be found by going to our new site www.skylinehotelsandresorts.com

In the summer of 2005, Skyline became the largest shareholder in OneStop Media Group (“OneStop”) (www.onestopmediagroup.com), the world’s leader in the development, management and sale of private digital networks to mass transit systems, shopping malls, hotels, residential buildings, and other captive environments, giving advertisers a more effective way to reach their audience without the trappings of broadcast television. OneStop has initiated groundbreaking projects for the Toronto Transit Commission (the operator of the Toronto’s subway system), The Wall Street Journal, Hilton Canada and the Retail Council of Canada. As a part of its mandate to provide its advertisers and partners with a high return on investment, OneStop works with the media-buying community to qualify opportunities and inspire new ones and is currently working with some of North America's largest transportation, hospitality, retail and advertising organizations to secure other premium projects. Apart from the advertising component, OneStop’s network provides content, such as news, business information and community service announcements (Child Find, Amber Alerts, Crime Stopper) as well as safety and security emergency announcements, cameras and safety instructions.

In 2006, Skyline acquired lands in Port McNicoll, Ontario from Canadian Pacific. This beautiful waterfront property on the southern shores of Georgian Bay (Severn Sound), approximately a 90 minute drive via Highway 400 from Toronto and consisting of six and a half miles of waterfront property covering 825 acres of land and water. Skyline is developing a unique Victorian Heritage Village which will include 700 residential units and 50,000 sq. ft. of commercial retail space as well as a hotel and marina. Sales of the first phase have reached almost 80% and further information can be found at www.portmcnicoll.ca.

2008 has also proven to be very busy on the acquisition side of Skyline. In January Skyline purchased the last piece of land available for skyscraper development in the downtown core of Toronto. Skyline Tower will comprise 624,000 sqft of office, hotel and condo units in the heart of the financial district and moments away from all the action.

Also in 2008, Skyline completed the purchase of Horseshoe Resort, a fantastic Ski and Golf resort less than an hour’s drive from Toronto. The property comprises 2 championship golf courses, 102 room hotel, 5 restaurants, 23 alpine ski runs, 35km of cross country skiing, tube park and development land. Plans are underway to upgrade the resort and master plan the development. www.horseshoeresort.com

In 2010, Skyline initiated and negotiated the purchase of The King Edward Hotel located in the financial district in the heart of Toronto. The 298 spacious guest rooms and suites boast old-world, turn of the century charm combined with sophisticated comforts. Skyline and Dundee Realty Corporation executed a plan to transform 3 vacant floors into luxury condos, they were sold out within 3 weeks. Skyline and partners are committed to a hotel refurbishment program that will restore the hotel to its historic position as Toronto’s premier luxury destination.

In 2011 Skyline purchased Deerhurst Resort, a newly and fully renovated iconic resort in Muskoka. Deerhurst is a 425 room resort (220 rooms are owned by Deerhurst) just two hours and two turns from Toronto, and easily accessible from other Canadian cities, including Ottawa. Skyline plans to market and sell 120 condominium units and 95 serviced lots in the summer of 2011. Deerhurst also has a land bank of 700 acres for further development of mixed use village.