Podcasts Other The Mike Hosking Breakfast Weston Kirton: Ruapehu mayor says a deal is close to being settled on who will be taking over Ruapehu ski fields

Weston Kirton: Ruapehu mayor says a deal is close to being settled on who will be taking over Ruapehu ski fields

Published: May 11, 2023, 8:10 p.m.

b'

By\\xa0RNZ

\\n

The Ruapehu mayor says a deal is close to being settled on who will be taking over Ruapehu ski fields.

\\n

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, which ran the\\xa0Whakapapa and Turoa ski fields,\\xa0went into voluntary administration in October, owing millions of dollars.

\\n

Four bidders had been vying for the contracts to take over and Mayor Weston Kirton said government officials had picked the two they favoured to run each ski field separately.

\\n

He understood they were\\xa0Pure Turoa\\xa0and a company linked to businessmen Dave Mazey and Tom Elworthy to manage Whakapapa.

\\n

Kirton said the community were excited about the developments, but they did not want to celebrate too soon with negotiations still in progress.

\\n

\\u201cThere\\u2019s a few unknowns to be considered, but it certainly gives confidence that we\\u2019re going to see a ski operation this year in some shape or form.

\\n

\\xa0\\u201cIt\\u2019s been delayed, and it\\u2019s been a worry some people have gone elsewhere for skiing. The main thing is from our perspective is that we see a ski season, it\\u2019s such a key part of our economy,\\u201d Kirton said.

\\n

In a statement, the Government would not confirm who it had chosen and said negotiations were continuing.

\\n

The\\xa0Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment\\xa0has been approached for comment.

\\n

- RNZ

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'