Review of the year (May): Plans unveiled for € 430m ski slope
The Altitude resort is billed as a multi-leisure facility combining a 45ft dry slope, snowboarding facilities, and a waterworld park.
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A HIGH point of the year saw plans unveiled for a € 430 million flagship dry ski slope, snowboarding and holiday leisure facility in Dundalk with the potential to create 1,500 long term jobs.
The Altitude resort is billed as a multi-leisure facility combining a 45ft dry slope, snowboarding facilities, and a waterworld park, all off the Inner Relief Road beside Dundalk Stadium.
The announcement was made in June by local company, Innovative Leisure Systems Ltd (ILS Ltd) who have joined forces with British company Briton Engineering Developments for the huge development, the largest of its kind in Europe.
The resort is also set to include a major family entertainment centre offering the latest attractions, and Ireland's first interactive golf driving range, a family hotel, five-star resort hotel, 'state of the art' casino, spa facilities, and quality self catering holiday lodges.
It was estimated an average of 400 jobs will be created on-site during the construction phase while 1,198 full-time and 388 part-time direct jobs will come on stream as all of the various elements of the complex become operational on a phased basis between 2011 and 2016.
One of the first parts to be developed will be the year-round skiing facility using Snowflex, a high performance synthetic system that enables a commercial outdoor snow sports centre to be built for year-round use regardless of climate. Developed by Yorkshirebased Briton Engineering, the Snowflex system is now in place at key sites in the UK, USA, France, Spain and Denmark.
As the year drew to a close, the company behind the ambitious project said that a planning application and detailed accompanying environmental and economic impact studies would be lodged with Louth Local Authorities within the next month
- Olivia RYAN
