THE BLOCK Hotels and Snowpark Technologies have entered into an agreement to design and review several concepts in order to create a first class terrain park at Granite Peak Resort in Wausau, WI (www.skigranitepeak.com). The goal is to create the Number #1 terrain park in the Midwest. The park would be accessible to the markets of Chicago, Minneapolis, Madison and Milwaukee - all within 4 hours drive.

Liko S. Smith co-founder and Managing Partner of THE BLOCK Hotels and Chris “Gunny” Gunnarson founder and President of Snowpark Technologies will visit Granite Peak Resort from June 12-15 along with members of their respective teams in order to analyze the area that will be used for the terrain park and to meet with upper management at Granite Peak Resort.

“This is much more than an exploratory trip” says Liko S. Smith,..”we plan on coming up with solid designs, drawings and conceptuals that will enable us to pin down construction costs and begin building soon if they decided to open this winter,..regardless, it's going to be a lot of work” he mentions. “I’ve spoken to Charles Skinner (owner of Granite Peak) on several occasions on why we’re the team to design a park for his resort and about our vision for the snowboarder experience on the mountain,….he’s been very supportive on this project from the start. BJ, Erik,Chad Otterstrom and more great pro snowboarders have come up from the Midwest, I think it’s a market that definitely deserves our attention and Marc and I are really looking forward to testing the market here; he and I have been talking about this for nearly a year” he states. “If THE BLOCK is ever going to be successful in the Midwest; this is the first step.....I'm looking forward to working with Gunny on setting a new standard in the area" he says.

Granite Peak Resort (www.skigranitepeak.com) is located in Wausau, Wisconsin. Granite Peak has an over 700 ft. vertical drop with 72 runs spread throughout. Purchased in 2000 by Charles Skinner, the mountain has made vast improvements in quality and quantum leaps in marketing.

The Resort has undergone Four (4) years of continuous improvements, namely:

1. 58 new runs

2. 500 new snow guns

3. 5 new lifts

a. New high speed, comet chairlift

b. New beginner only – Santa Chairlift

4. New Sundance Chalet and Grille

a. Over 10,000 sq. ft.

b. 2 fireplaces, cathedral ceilings, overlooking slopes

5. New Granite Peak Ski and Sports Shop

6. New Peak Performance Demos and Tuning Center

7. Restored “historic” Stone 10th Mountain Chalet

a. Four Stone Fireplaces

b. Stone Hear Eater

c. The Reindeer Bar

8. New Alpine Learning Center

a. Ski and Snowboarder lessons

b. Teddy Bear Childrens program

9. New Mountain Rental Shop

10. New Bears Den Tavern and Saloon

Rib Mountain at Granite Peak is the tallest mountain within a 500 mile radius.

THE BLOCK Hotels and Granite Peak Resort will joint venture on the project once the planning stage is completed.

THE BLOCK Hotels is “The Worlds First Snowboarder Hotel Group” created by Professional Snowboarder Marc Frank Montoya and Las Vegas Hotelier Liko S. Smith. The Group owns THE BLOCK at Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe, California and THE BLOCK at Big Bear in Big Bear Lake, CA. All guest receive free energy drinks, energy bars, popcorn, dvd movies, Napster Music cards, PS2 video games and Campbells “soup at hand” as well as free wi-fi access and board waxing by BLUEBIRD Wax. All rooms come equipped with PS2 game consoles, boot/glove dryers, cordless phones and mini boom boxes The hotels also feature sponsor themed rooms by companies such as DVS Shoe Co., Transworld Snowboarding Magazine, Jones Soda Co., Zoo York, SPY Optic, Roxy, Napster, and others. More information can be seen at www.theblockattahoe.com and www.theblockatbigbear.com. Future locations are being reviewed in Keystone, CO, June Lake, CA, and several areas in Canada and Japan.

THE BLOCK Partners plan to open 20 locations within the next 5 to 7 years.