Investor Rainer Gläß wants to quickly start building a new ski lift on the Fichtelberg and is hoping for a spirit of optimism. "The Fichtelberg is a great ski mountain," said Gläß. "At the moment, people are selling themselves short here. I would like to change that." His goal is to create a beacon here that people are proud of. He hopes that the construction of a new lift on the Himmelsleiter can begin as early as next year.
The health resort of Oberwiesenthal depends on tourism. With around 2,000 inhabitants, there are around 4,400 guest beds and more than half a million overnight stays per year. The most important asset is the ski resort on the Fichtelberg - the largest alpine ski resort in the Free State. However, the ski lifts there are considered outdated and urgently need to be invested in - including new water reservoirs for artificial snowmaking on the slopes. The town, which has been the operator of the ski resort with the municipal Fichtelberg Schwebebahn GmbH (FSB), lacks the funds for this.
Town council votes for sale of FSB
On Tuesday evening, the town council gave the green light for the sale of FSB. Instead of a lengthy and expensive Europe-wide tender, the majority voted in favor of a direct sale to Liftgesellschaft Oberwiesenthal (LGO), which is owned by Gläß. It operates the four-seater chairlift on the Fichtelberg and is the leaseholder of the hotel on the summit. However, in such a procedure, the town can no longer exert any direct influence on the development and stipulate conditions in the contract. This caused unease among some city councillors. After all, the town's silverware was at stake, they said.
The costs for the new lift on the Himmelsleiter alone, including the slope extension and a new reservoir for artificial snowmaking, are estimated at around 21 million euros. "That's not the end of the story," explained Gläß. There is still a lot more to do. The race track is particularly close to his heart. The problem there is that the supports of the cable car are in the middle of the slope. This can be dangerous for skiers. "We'll think of something," emphasized Gläß.
But how much does the FSB cost anyway? Gläß has submitted a bid with his LGO. When asked how much money he had offered, he smiled: "Far too much." There is no co-investor, he said. "Many people think it's a big deal. But first of all, it's a big investment. I hope it all works out wisely."
He is often asked why he is still investing in a mid-mountain ski resort at all. He referred to his decades-long connection with winter sports and the region. He is a passionate skier himself and his father Siegfried was one of the initiators of the Kammloipe Erzgebirge in the early 1990s. Gläß made his fortune with a software company in Vogtland.
The exact value of FSB is now to be determined by an expert opinion. The purchase price must not be lower. According to Mayor Jens Benedict (non-party), the negotiations should take three to four months. The city council will then have another final vote on the sale.
Gläß also wants to buy Fichtelberghaus
However, another decision is already due in December - but at district level. Then it will be about the sale of the Fichtelberghaus on the summit. Here, too, investments are urgently needed, which the Erzgebirgskreis does not see itself in a position to make. It therefore launched a bidding process. There were more than 30 interested parties, the district administration office said on request. Further details, such as the price range, were not disclosed. The district council will decide who will be awarded the contract in December. One of the interested parties is Rainer Gläß's LGO.
The entrepreneurial family's major commitment to the Fichtelberg is not without controversy. While some speak of a stroke of luck, others have clear reservations about becoming so dependent on a private investor. Mayor Benedict spoke of a leap of faith for the investor. "I see this as an opportunity." City councillor and ski jumping legend Jens Weißflog warned against delaying the process unnecessarily. After all, the building permit for the new lift on the Himmelsleiter is time-limited and expires at the end of next year.
Left: Fichtelberg does not belong in private hands
Criticism comes from the Left. "When will the Fichtelberg be renamed Gläßberg?" asked Rico Gebhardt, member of the state parliament. "I think it's irresponsible to become dependent on a single family." He sees the planned sale of the entire Fichtelberg plateau by the district as worse than the sale of FSB. Gebhardt: "The highest mountain in the Free State of Saxony does not belong in private hands, but in the ownership of the Free State of Saxony!"
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