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MOUNT MORRIS – The White Pines Wedding Canyon and Pine Creek Cabins, near White Pines State Park, have a new owner.
Elizabeth George, who has owned the two properties for 18 years, sold them to Rebecca Jones. The sale was final April 1.
“It’s just time – I’ve been doing this for a long time,” George said. “It’s time for the next generation to step up and move forward.
“Weddings are a great place for a young woman to get her feet wet. Rebecca has worked for me off and on since she was a teenager. She’s going to do a phenomenal job.”
In fact, George gave her her first job when she was 13, and has been her mentor for 20 years, Jones said.
George will continue to operate the White Pines Resort with its cabins, gift shop, restaurant and dinner theater, as well as the CedarStone banquet hall in Polo.
Jones lived in Phoenix for 8 years, where she was the food and beverage director of Grayhawk Golf Club and responsible for $9 million in food and beverage sales. She moved back to this area in August 2017.
“After 7 years in that position and some wonderful mentorship in Phoenix, I was ready to come back and use my acquired knowledge in a town I love,” Jones said. “While I miss the great winters Phoenix has to offer, I believe in this community that built me and want to spend my future years giving back to it.
“My vision of the canyon is to continue to execute flawless wedding ceremonies in addition to using the space to host a variety of other events,” such as rehearsal dinners, graduation and birthday parties, bridal and baby showers, she said.
The wedding canyon, renamed Pine Creek Canyon, also will host events such as yoga, wine and beer tastings, and concerts.
“The cabins at Pine Creek will have the same great feel with a few new amenities to come in the next couple years,” Jones said.
Details will be available in a few weeks at pinecreekescape.com. In the meantime, cabins can be booked by calling 815-881-1180 or at whitepinesinn.com until the website goes live.
She and George will work together to coordinate weddings, Jones said.
“Weddings will still be a one-stop shop, and this partnership is sure to meet all your expectations.”
Jones is planning a grand reopening celebration for Memorial Day weekend with live music, kids activities, a wine and beer tasting, and a yoga class.
TO LEARN MORE
• Pine Creek Canyon, formerly the White Pines Wedding Canyon, is at 6797 W. Pines Road in Mount Morris.
Online: Find Pine Creek Escape on Facebook or @pinecreekescape on Instagram. A website, pinecreekescape.com, is in the works. The cabins can be booked by calling 815-881-1180 or at whitepinesinn.com until the website goes live.
• For information on White Pines Resort, go to whitepinesinn.com, e-mail whitepines@whitepinesresort.net, or call 815-946-2400.