NBC's "Biggest Loser" makes Tamarack a big winner


12/02/07

NBC's "Biggest Loser" makes Tamarack a big winner

BOISE -- One local resort didn't need any snow to get a boost this week.

Phones are ringing off the hook at Tamarack Resort - that's what a little national exposure will do for you.

It appears Tamarack Resort is the biggest winner from last night's episode of "The Biggest Loser."

NBC's hit reality show "The Biggest Loser" spotlighted more than weight loss this week.

Tennis megastar, Andre Agassi pumped up the players with a pep talk.

“Congratulations to each of you for committing to this journey and creating a future of your choosing.  It is inspiring and motivating and I thank you for that," said Agassi.

As a show of his support, Agassi provided the winning prize for this week's fitness competition -- an endurance challenge where contestants had to see who could hold on to a pole the longest. But this reward benefits much more than the victorious player.

Contestant Bill Germanakos of Long Island, New York, won the challenge and received a weeklong family vacation at Tamarack Resort.

"Tamarack Resort and Idaho was promoted to tens of millions of people across the country," said Jessica Flynn, Tamarack Resort spokeswoman.

Despite how the show worded it, it's not really Agassi's resort, but his company is constructing a Fairmont Hotel at resort outside Donnelly -- a 220 room upscale structure expected to be completed at the end of 2010.

"Biggest Loser has been wanting to do something with Agassi for quite sometime.  Just so happens one of the Biggest Loser producers visited Tamarack Resort and saw how it exemplified that healthy lifestyle that the program promotes, and then realized the connection with Andre Agassi, and putting it all together thought it would be a great prize to promote and put on the show,"  said Flynn.

The winner gets a weeklong stay at Tamarack for he and his family -- VIP treatment and accommodations at one of the resort's chalets.  But for this kind of priceless publicity the resort may be the biggest winner.

"We're getting significant increase in calls and e-mails and not just us, but our partners at Fairmont as well are getting lots of interest," said Flynn.

The winner of the Tamarack vacation is a 40-year-old contestant from Long Island, New York.
Bill Germanakos said what makes this prize so great for him is that he promised his kids this vacation.  He's planning a winter retreat so he can take his children skiing.