It is expected that the Eaglecrest Ski Area gondola will require more parts and will costs more than anticipated to construct. According to the resort’s manager, who said it will require more towers, wheels and a haul rope.
Its style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”We knew we would require additional towers to support Midway Station,” Dave Scanlan said. “We didn’t think we would need that we would need as many towers. .”
When the city bought the used gondola from an Austrian ski resort in 2022, it costs approximately $2 million plus $1.1 million to transport the vehicle to Juneau. In a presentation on the project during the Assembly committee meeting on Monday evening, Scanlan told members that an additional $1.86 million was required.
The additional parts are necessary since the gondola is different in configuration at Eaglecrest as it is in Austria however, they will not need additional funding by the municipality. He added that he’s “very sure” about the possibility that the gondola will remain fully operational using the $6.5 million that the project has left which is mainly derived from a 10 million revenue sharing agreement in conjunction with Goldbelt, Inc.
A member of the Assembly, Alicia Hughes-Skandijs wasn’t sure.
“span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”When I look at the figure of $6.5 million, I’m thinking “How do you plan to make it happen to get $6.5 million?'” she said.
Hughes-Skandijs told the newspaper that she has an “real worry” that the project’s cost will exceed that amount and more city funds will be required to get the project to the line.
Assembly Member Wade Bryson praised the purchase and the increase in value -” Scanlan said to the assembly that the gondola had almost doubled in value since the time it was bought.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”We received a four million plus asset for just $2 million dollars because we bought it before anyone else realized what inflation would cause,” he said. “We’ve achieved this .”
Scanlan stated that Eaglecrest is hoping for the gondola to be in operation in the winter of 2025. The aim is to have it operating by the time of the season of tourism in the summer.
