Province supports Clarenville�s bid to keep White Hills open

Joan Marie Aylward, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, said today that government has guaranteed a loan which enabled the Town of Clarenville to enter into an agreement with the Alpine Development Alliance Corporation to keep White Hills Ski Resort open.

The Town of Clarenville has borrowed $400,000 to purchase the White Hills Ski Resort. The town is also partnering with private investors who have invested $50,000, and the Alpine Development Alliance Corporation to operate the facility. The province has provided a loan guarantee of $320,000 and the alliance will work with the town to repay their remaining $80,000. The minister said: "This arrangement has been done on the explicit understanding that the Town of Clarenville will own and manage White Hills in a matter similar to other recreational assets in the community. There will be no operational subsidies forthcoming from the province."

"The level of community interest in keeping the resort open is very high and the support for the Town of Clarenville�s proposal has been wide ranging," said the minister. "Area MHA Ross Wiseman has worked with the Town of Clarenville, and the Alpine Development Alliance Corporation which includes: the Chamber of Commerce; the Discovery Board; the Nordic Ski Club; the Downhill Ski Club and private investors to put this arrangement in place."

"We are delighted that the provincial government has supported us in our efforts to acquire White Hills," said Clarenville Mayor, Fred Best. "The town and other community leaders have taken a leadership role in this process because this resort provides significant economic and employment benefits for our whole region."

As the operator, the Alpine Development Alliance Corporation is assuming the risk associated with the new arrangement. "We think our investment is a solid one with great community based support," said Corwin Mills, chair of the Alpine Development Alliance Corporation. "While our group is taking the financial risk in this arrangement, we are determined to make this a successful year-round facility."

The MHA for Trinity North, Ross Wiseman, said: "The Town of Clarenville and many people in this region will benefit from this arrangement. It is a very important piece of infrastructure to support the economy of Clarenville and surrounding municipalities and I am confident the people involved will make it work."

The White Hills Ski Resort provides 40 direct jobs for people in the Clarenville area each season and has attracted millions of tourism dollars to communities in the area.

Media contact: Glenn Bruce, (709) 729-1983.

2000 12 21 12:55 p.m.