The Discovery Club Names Kelly Hrudey As Official Spokesperson

By: Destination Club News
Date: October 6, 2010

It isn't shocking for a destination club north of the border to have ties to the world of hockey. The Discovery Club is strengthening those ties as they have named former NHL goaltender and current CBC Hockey Night in Canada commentator Kelly Hrudey as their official spokesperson.

Hrudey is scheduled to attend several events in the coming months with the club, not only as the club's spokesperson, but as one of their newest members. The Discovery Club has already sponsored last weekend's Let's Talk Hockey in Calgary, an event where Hrudey served as Master of Ceremonies, that raised funds for the Calgary PREP Program, a group assisting individuals with Down Syndrome. The Discovery Club was in attendance to announce their relationship with Hrudey and to give one lucky winner a free weekend membership.

At the event, Hrudey detailed a recent club trip to Toronto at the Pantages boutique hotel. "It makes sense for me and my family," he said regarding membership with The Discovery Club.

The world of sports is a hotbed for the destination club sector. Tim Henman, one of the world's best tennis players, was appointed as Ambassador for The Hideaways Club last year. Earlier this year, Equity Estates added Dennis Rasmussen to their executive team, bringing the former MLB pitcher on as the Vice President of Investor Relations. Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young, NBA Coaches Doc Rivers and George Karl, and former baseball player Davey Johnson were all attached to Ultimate Escapes, a club now wrapped up in bankruptcy proceedings. Fellow Canadian club M Private Residences has also told us that they count NHL players in their membership ranks.

We recently spoke to The Discovery Club about their unique no ownership model where the club instead partners with other luxury travel providers.

"We are not interested in owning assets," said Tryone Lingley, the club's Director of Sales. "The Discovery Club is interested in providing a premium service to our members that allows them to travel exactly how they want to, without any burdens of owning real estate. We remove this risk and focus on what people really want, an exceptional travel experience. What we do own is exclusive access agreements with the world’s finest hotels, resorts, cruises, and tours which ensures that our members are guaranteed the best value for their dollar, while not having to worry about the financial health of real estate assets. Add our personal concierge service and money-back guarantee, and we believe we have a product that is second to none."

There are many destination club structures used throughout the sector, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. If you would like to learn more about each, request a free copy of our Destination Club Guide for more details about each.