Turoa ski field on Mt Ruapehu photo Alison Ballance Photo:
Four final bids have been lodged to buy Ruapehu ski fields, but time is running short for one to be confirmed in time to open this winter season.
Ruapehu Alpine Lifts which ran the Whakapapa and Turoa skifields, went into voluntary administration last last year, owing tens of millions of dollars.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is reviewing the four bids which were finalised last week.But PWC Partner and Voluntary Administrator John Fisk says the MBIE process has taken longer than expected, and a watershed meeting with creditors, set for the 9th of May will need to be delayed.
He says a planned season pass sale had to be deferrred because of the uncertainty, and he believes it will be very difficult to get a new operator in place for this ski season.
John Fisk says it would be possible for PWC to operate the ski fields this winter, but that would require underwriting by the government.
