Francesca Rudkin: The Ruapehu District needs the Chateau to be saved

I am so pleased to see NZ Herald Business Journalist Kate McNamara continue to write about the woes in the Ruapehu District.   Why? Because the Ruapehu region has been hit hard with indecision around the two ski fields, the sudden closure of the Chateau two years ago; followed by the loss of over 200 jobs when Winstone’s pulp and timber mills shut down late last year.  This region has taken a beating through no fault of their own!   Yesterday McNamara focused on the issues surrounding the majestic Chateau Tongariro Hotel, which has been sitting in a derelict state for two years. It's a sad sight at the base of Ruapehu. A desolate Chateau, the golf course overgrown, and empty buildings surrounding it. The area feels quietly paused in time, with no sense of if and when it may spring back to life.  Whakapapa Holdings Ltd, the company in the process of buying the Whakapapa Ski Field, is keen to discuss the future of the Chateau with government officials. They are interested in taking on the historic chateau, reviving it, providing employment, an increase in tourism, and offering some economic stability for the region.   The problem is – no one is really interested in talking to them.  As we learnt with the ski fields, this is a complicated region that requires sensitive conversations between government, the Department of Conservation, iwi and other stakeholders. It was a struggle to find a consensus over the ski fields – with some preferring the continuation of a not-for-profit organisation such as previous operators RAL, others’ preferring to hand things over to private operators.   Along the way, a lot of government money was put into keeping the ski fields afloat, until it got to the point where the fields were too expensive to fail, as was the prospect of closing them down, removing all structures from the mountain and returning it to its natural state.    Getting the Chateau up and running again will cost many millions of dollars – but on the right terms, such as a 30 year lease and a peppercorn rent, WHL would be willing to make the investment. They have also done research into the earthquake strengthening which needs to be done and believe it’s not as extensive as previously suggested.   Look, this might not be the deal which makes everyone happy, but frankly I don’t see anyone else queuing up to give it a go. Leaving the chateau empty and decaying for years, possibly decades - at the cost of around $150 - $200,000 a month for maintenance – when a possible solution sits on the table is simply depressing.   The government needs to deal with the lease termination agreement and payment to the previous operators, reopen expressions of interest, and have some conversations. Talking is almost always a good place to start, so please take the call.   Ruapehu is an incredible part of our country, and one that deserves to be thriving. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.