An artist sketch of Meadowlands Xanadu snow complex

One of the longest and most expensive sagas in world ski area development appears to be back on track following the intervention of a US billionaire.

Local reports say that billionaire Steve Ross has been promoting the Meadowlands Xanadu mall project, now re-branded ‘Meadowlands’ at a convention in Las Vegas. Ross is expected to announce he has secured the $500 million (€400m) plus required to finally complete the development and that the grand opening could now take place in 2011.

The giant Xanadu mall in New Jersey, USA, will be home to North America’s first indoor snow centre. The complex was largely completed a year ago with snow produced on the indoor slope last summer, but has been effectively mothballed for the past nine months due to financial problems.

Continue reading ‘Billionaire to back Meadowlands Xanadu’

Avoriaz village in the French Alps.

A massive expansion of Avoriaz ski resort in France that will create two totally new resort districts gets underway this month.

Each district will include several new accommodation complexes, and that’s not all. Avoriaz is also building a large new water park and a spectacular new lift to replace the cable car link between the resort and Morzine in the valley below. Much of the new development will be completed in time for the winter after next, so December 2011.

The two new resort districts will be called Crozats and Amara. Between them they will add nine new Maeva and Pierre and Vacances residences containing more than 40 new apartments.

Continue reading ‘Huge expansion of France’s Avoriaz gets underway’

Laax Village in the Swiss Alps.

Laax ski area in Switzerland will be the future location for Europe’s first indoor freestyle training centre.

The leading Swiss freestyle resort has announced plans for the facility, which it says will be the world’s second such facility, following Woodward at Copper in Colorado. Woodward uses Snowflex artificial surface slopes among its facilities for year-round training in freestyle technique.

But that’s all the details we’re going to get for now. The resort says more information won’t be released until later this year.

Continue reading ‘Laax to build Europe’s first indoor training centre’

Florida, USA

The owners of land in Miami, Florida have proposed an indoor snow centre be built on their site.

The project, called Solar Mountain, would feature indoor ski runs, half pipe, a large ski jump, an ice skating rink as well as retail and non-snow leisure facilities including indoor tennis courts and an indoor arena.

The solar mountain name for the 60m high facility comes from the plan to power it entirely with renewable solar and wind energy.

Continue reading ‘Miami indoor snow centre plans revealed’

Adelboden in Switzerland.

Swiss resort Adelboden is the latest to report an increase in business this past ski season.

The resort’s Mountain Transport System reported high numbers of passengers throughout the period, resulting in figures 5 percent above the five-year average, making this their third best winter ever.

One reason for the good season was that visitors were blessed with a large number of sunny days. Another notable highlight of the season were the AUDI FIS Ski World Cup Races held in January.
Continue reading ‘Adelboden reports solid ski season’

"Dude, do you think they'll really check?"

Sometimes it’s better to just buy the lift ticket.

Four South Dakota college students learned the hard way when they were recently jailed for using forged lift passes for the local ski hill.

The four are all aged 21 or 22 and are studying engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. It’s unclear whether they purchased their forged pass from an unknown source or made them themselves.

Each student was ordered to pay $580 in restitution, which is the cost of a season pass at Terry Peak ski area where they used the forged passes, as well as $200 in fines and costs. They are due to begin their jail sentences on or before May 14th, and are being granted a delay in order to complete end-of-year exams.

Continue reading ‘Forged lift tickets land four young skiers in jail’

Shawnee Mountain in Pennsylvania.

As part of a major lift system overhaul, Shawnee Mountain in Pennsylvania has puchased a new high speed detachable quad chairlift for their ski resort.

The Pocono mountains resort’s operator, Ski Shawnee Inc, announced the purchase last week.

Manufactured in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Doppelmayr CTEC USA, the new high speed quad will be installed this summer along the Tomahawk Trail and replace Shawnee’s existing fixed grip quad lift in the same location. The fixed grip quad will then be moved to the Arrowhead Trail and replace Shawnee’s oldest lift – a fixed grip triple which will be retired.

Continue reading ‘Pennsylvania’s Shawnee gets lift overhaul’