Ken Fowler had a smile on his face on Sunday. The CEO of Ken Fowler Enterprises, and the driving force behind the Red Leaves development, was at the grand opening of The Rosseau, a JW Marriott Resort and Spa in Minett. Hundreds of guests and visitors were on hand to survey the grandiose surroundings of the only JW Marriott of its kind in Canada.

Fowler’s dream had definitely become reality but despite the crowning jewel of the development now in place, Fowler is still focusing on the future.

“It is a great feeling,” he said. “But this is not the final chapter here. There is still a lot to achieve.”

The Rosseau joins The Rock golf course, Wallace Marina, Butson Boats, Clevelands House and a 700-acre nature reserve as part of the Red Leaves development, but there is more to come. The Red Leaves village, along the shores of Lake Rosseau, is the next stage of the year-round resort and will become the heart of the resort community with boutique shops, art galleries, cafes and a theatre. A second part of the hotel, Paignton House, will be opening in 2009 and feature more than 40 suites to go with the 173 at The Longview — the main part of The Rosseau.

Sunday the attention was squarely on The Rosseau. Rooms on the fourth floor were open for visitors to explore and admire the million-dollar views over the lake; tours of the building were held by the friendly, efficient and knowledgeable staff; the grand entrance was abuzz with guests sampling sweet treats and enjoying music; the walls were covered in local artwork and in the impressive ballroom a reading of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was held.

The dream of The Rosseau had been around since 2005 when Fowler stood on a bluff overlooking Lake Rosseau and envisioned a year-round luxury resort, similar to the ones that dominated Muskoka in the area’s heyday.

Now on the grounds where the former Paignton House resort stood, one of the most decadent new resorts in Canada dominates the shore of the lake. The $120-million development features an indoor/outdoor pool, ballroom where a number of weddings have already been booked, an enormous spa with treatment rooms, Jacuzzis, steam rooms and a hair salon.

The Longview boasts impressive restaurants led by the 70-seat Teca, under the guidance of executive chef and director of food and beverage Mark Marchment, who has worked at restaurants in Blue Mountain and Casino Rama. The menu features classic Italian cuisine, dishes designed for sharing and an impressive wine cellar. As well as Teca there is the bar Lakes, featuring many Ontario craft beers and Cottages, a 250-seat dining room with an outdoor terrace and a menu that features local fare, including fish from Milford Bay Trout Farm.