Ambitious investment plan confirmed for Maribor's Pohorje hill
Maribor, 17 October - The Maribor City Council okayed on Tuesday ambitious, EUR 25m worth plans for the slopes of the Pohorje hill that rises above the city. The investments include a renovation of the ski lifts, a midway stop for the cable lift, a new water reservoir, adrenaline park and the acquisition of section not yet operated by the city-owned company Marprom.
Maribor
Pohorje cable car.
Photo: Gregor Mlakar/STA.
The slopes of the Maribor section of Pohorje, also known for hosting the women's Alpine Ski World Cup each year, have been operated by Marprom, primarily the city's public transport company, since the 2014 bankruptcy of ŠC Pohorje.
The company, which wants to further boost tourism both in the winter and summer season, plans to execute the investments with the help of the Slovenian development bank SID Banka.
It hopes to get EUR 20m via the SID's tourism investments programme, while EUR 4m would be secured via a loan that requires a nod from the City Council. The council for now okayed the investment programme, consent for individual project will be sought later.
Marprom head Bernard Majhenič said the lifts infrastructure and snow-making system would be the primary beneficiaries of the funding. The latter would also benefit from a new artificial lake planned in the Areh section of Pohorje, which is not yet managed by Marprom.
Moreover, a midway stop is planned for the gondola lift, which was renovated in 2009. Marprom argues it would allow the cycling season to continue in the winter, while it would also provide a backup alternative for the skiing World Cup course located in the weather-sensitive bottom part of the hill.