The three New Zealand companies rumoured to be interested in buying the Cardrona Alpine Resort and the Australian/Singapore company selling it were all singing in unison from the same song book yesterday.
The Otago Daily Times has been told by industry insiders three companies with strong tourism connections in the South are completing due diligence on the skifield above the Cardrona Valley.
They are said to be involved in a tendering round with a starting price of $40 million, and the process is due to be completed at the end of May.
None of the New Zealand companies would confirm or deny an interest in the field.
The owner, former Australian company Vealls Ltd, is now based in Singapore as Vealls Singapore Pte.
Duncan Veall, variously described as Vealls company secretary, executive director and Cardrona general manager, said from Australia that ''unfortunately'' he could not discuss the sale because of ''confidentiality arrangements''.
And he would not say what point the sale process had reached.
''Certainly, though, if something happens that we can announce, we certainly will.''
All he would say was that he was looking forward to a good snow season. The skifield is due to open in June.
Vealls' half-year report to the end of December 31, 2012, says the company's total revenue for the period was $A13.426 million ($NZ16.25 million) ''most of which came from the New Zealand subsidiaries; in particular the Cardrona ... operation''.
In its list of non-current assets, at December 31, 2012, the company lists $36.359 million of property, plant and equipment.
Cardrona Alpine Resort has 345ha of terrain and a lift carrying capacity of 11,000 people an hour.
