AUCKLAND-based skier John Reid said people all over the North Island had, like himself, been having ski adventures on Ruapehu for many years. It was essential to find a way of keeping the mountain’s ski lifts operational, he added.
Today is the deadline for those who hold life ski passes to express interest in a scheme to partially crowd-fund “a new entity” to operate Ruapehu’s Turoa and Whakapapa ski fields, including the Sky Waka gondola. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has set Thursday this week as its deadline for hearing expressions of interest from the holders of life ski passes issued by the defunct Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) company, which went into voluntary administration early last month. If the life pass holders come to the party the Government will be prepared to cancel $28 million owed by RAL, MBIE said. In an open letter to the voluntary administrators, John Fisk and Richard Nacey, of PwC, MBIE said it was, “acutely conscious of the immediate impact the collapse of RAL would have on the communities surrounding Mt Ruapehu”. It understood this would adversely impact other Ruapehu stakeholders (particularly RAL’s employees, co-dependant businesses, the 14,500 life pass holders and the 52 tramping and skiing clubs), plus the wider region including Taupo, Ohakune, Taumarunui and Turangi. “As we are all aware, the current financial position of RAL is impossible. The Company owes creditors in excess of $45 million. Revenues have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and then by poor snowfall.” So far the Government, through its Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit (Kānoa–RDU), have agreed to provide the company and the administrators with $4.5 million of rescue finance to enable the Company’s liabilities to be paid while exploring a possible solution other than liquidation. In the absence of an alternative structured solution, the sale of some, or all, of RAL’s assets and liquidation of the company also appeared highly probable, the letter said. Kānoa–RDU had agreed to potentially write off $28 million of historical debt support provided to RAL. But MBIE also wanted to move quickly to investigate whether an additional 2500 life time pass holders would be prepared to put in an additional $2500 each, plus an ongoing annual contribution. Sam Clarkson, a spokesperson for the Ruapehu shareholders and Life Pass Holders group, and owner of the Skotel at the foot of Whakapapa ski field, gave qualified support to sounding out life pass holders in this way. “We don’t know why the Government has not come to us directly, and we would need far more information about the ‘new entity’ is wants to form to replace RAL. But generally it is the right move to assess support from life pass holders,” Sam said. An explanation of the move and details of how to go about expressing interest can be obtained by searching the following online: “Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Limited – Life Pass Holder Support Form”.
