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Whakapapa Holdings preparing fresh bid for Whakapapa ski area

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Tūroa skifield is being operated by the Pure Tūroa company this season after it received a 10-year concession from DoC.

Mazey said at this stage, Whakapapa Holdings would also request a 10-year concession.

If that was successful, the company would take over ownership on April 1 next year, he said.

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“The big thing about it is people are starting to get confidence that it is now probable there’ll be a new operator and Whakapapa will be run by a company that’s committed to it.”

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL), which operated both the Whakapapa and Tūroa fields, went into voluntary administration in October 2022, owing more than $40 million.

It was officially put into liquidation in June 2023.

Whakapapa Holdings formally withdrew a bid for Whakapapa last December.

“How it was evolving then, it was less palatable as an investment opportunity,” Mazey said.

“Following discussions with a number of key parties we decided to reengage and make a further offer, and that’s what we’ve been working on.

“We have confidence as a business that the Whakapapa ski area is viable commercially.”

He said having the ski area trading successfully brought value to the central North Island in particular.

“A key third branch to that tree is you’re operating in a National Park, you’re operating in a World Heritage Site and you’re operating on a maunga [mountain] that is incredibly significant to iwi who have lived around it for 1000 years.”

Whakapapa Holdings was confident it could provide the stewardship required for the area, restimulate the market and make a commercially viable business, Mazey said.

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Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.



Whakapapa Holdings preparing fresh bid for Whakapapa ski area

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