Swiss ski resort of San Bernardino brought back to life
The mountain railways in San Bernardino in southeastern Switzerland are back in operation after ten years of standstill.
The re-opening of the ski resort on Wednesday is part of Ticino investor Stefano Artioli’s plan to breathe new life into the ailing holiday resort with investments totalling CHF300 million ($360 million).
The mountain railways and ski lifts in the winter sports resort at the south portal of the San Bernardino tunnel have been out of service since 2012, with the exception of a few beginner lifts in the village. There was no money for the necessary refurbishment. As Artioli’s company San Bernardino Swiss Alps announced on Wednesday, it acquired the lifts last summer and renovated them.
+ Going downhill: more than 50 Swiss ski lifts are rusting away
From Wednesday, one gondola lift, one chairlift and one ski lift will be in operation for the time being. Two more ski lifts are to follow by December 2024. The Confin snow sports area offers a total of 45 kilometres of pistes.
San Bernardino Swiss Alps intends to keep the ageing facilities in operation until a master plan for the development of the snow sports offer is ready. It will be a few years before all the lifts have been renovated, the press release stated.
San Bernardino plans
Artioli wants to develop San Bernardino into a top year-round destination for sports enthusiasts. The centrepiece of his vision is a five-star hotel with a public spa and wellness area. There are also several buildings in the village centre, including two hotels that the investor is currently having renovated. The Brocco & Posta hotel is due to open this season.
The plans should be realised by 2033. Artioli intends to finance the initial development phase from his own funds. Investors are to be brought in later. The Ticino native makes his money with property. He founded the Artisa Group, which manages property investments across Europe.
Artioli’s project in San Bernardino is reminiscent of the Egyptian businessman Samih Sawiris, who built six hotels, 500 flats, conference facilities and a golf course in Andermatt, canton Uri, and linked three ski resorts to form the Andermatt-Sedrun ski arena.
+ Samih Sawiris granted honorary citizenship of canton Uri
At around CHF2 billion, Sawiris’s investments were several times larger than those planned in San Bernardino.
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