The recent, long-awaited purchase of Treble Cone by Cardrona Alpine Resort was "definitely a positive development", Queenstown Lakes deputy mayor Calum MacLeod, of Wanaka, said yesterday.
"It’s positive all around, with a win-win for everyone," Mr MacLeod said.
There had always been a rivalry between the skifields, but the purchase would mean increased investment in Treble Cone, including in facilities and snowmaking.
This would help move the area’s overall skifield offering up to a higher level, competing more effectively for the lucrative Australian ski visitor market.
Skiers could obtain combined passes offering a more varied joint package, boosting the Wanaka economy, as more ski visitors are likely to stay in Wanaka rather than Queenstown, he said.
A post on Cardrona Alpine Resort’s facebook page on Friday night said an unconditional agreement to buy Treble Cone had been finalised, and possession would be taken on January 27 next year.
Both ski areas would be operated as a "dual-mountain offering, given that each mountain has something unique to offer", Jen Houltham said in the post.
The new organisation would be known as Cardrona Alpine Resorts, and both Cardrona and Treble Cone would have "their own wairua and voice" and would maintain their own distinct brands.
Single and multi-day passes, for use at both mountains, would be offered at Cardrona’s already advertised 2020 rates.
Dual-mountain access will also mean Treble Cone skiers could take advantage of an extra two months’ skiing at Cardrona with Cardrona’s longer season.
Cardrona Alpine Resort general manager Bridget Legnavsky, said pricing would be competitive, "because we need Treble Cone to flourish".
More consistent skier days were needed at Treble Cone throughout the season.
Treble Cone needed to succeed to make it "as good as it can possibly be and to justify further investment".
Summer development at Treble Cone would start next month, including general repairs and maintenance, and moves to update snowmaking.
Treble Cone was a complex mountain to operate, and there were "highly skilled and knowledgeable operational staff who know the ins and outs of TC very well".
Cardrona Alpine Resorts could now engage with the Treble Cone team and plan staffing and recruitment, the aim being to retain "that knowledge and competency through the recruitment process," Ms Legnavsky said.
