Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Life Pass Holders Surveyed On Willingness To Support New Entity

The Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment’s Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit (Kānoa-RDU) has today asked the Voluntary Administrators of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) to formally survey the approximately 14,500 Life Pass Holders to gauge their willingness to financially support a proposal for a new entity.

Kānoa-RDU has asked the RAL Voluntary Administrators to forward a letter and non-binding survey form to Life Pass Holders to find out how many would provide some funding support if a proposed new entity went ahead. The new entity would operate the Turoa and Whakapapa ski fields, including the Sky Waka gondola.

Head of Kānoa-RDU Robert Pigou says the Government has asked Kānoa-RDU to explore alternative arrangements which could see ski-field operations and other economic activities continue to be undertaken on Mt Ruapehu.

“If Life Pass Holders support this then the Crown is prepared to consider some concessions to ensure an alternative commercial arrangement has a chance of succeeding,” he says.

RAL Administrators need to provide the results of the Life Pass Holders survey to Kānoa-RDU by Thursday 24 November.

“We are at a point now where we need to understand the likely extent of Life Pass Holder financial support before we can continue investigating the potential commercial transaction and the other elements required to finalise it,” says Robert Pigou.

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