Should Middlesbrough Council finance the £20m Ski Centre?

Juninho10

Juninho10

Well-known member
It's a NO from me (n)

23 out of 24 areas of Middlesbrough are classed as 'deprived' - I can think of better things to spend £20 Million on....



A political row over the future of Middlesbrough's long-awaited snow centre has intensified - with the town's MP pressing the council to stump up the cash to help it become a reality.

The facility has been heralded as the "catalyst" for large scale regeneration at Middlehaven and could bring millions of new visitors to the town.

The development has been in the pipeline for six years, but last week Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston claimed the multi-million pound proposals "don’t stack up financially".

Mr Preston said that due to the financial uncertainty brought about by the covid-19 pandemic, there was no way the council could afford to pump £20m into delivering the project.

But now Labour MP Andy McDonald has spoken out, saying he "cannot comprehend" why Mr Preston's authority will not financially back the development, claiming it is set to deliver a "guaranteed income" of £3m a year.

And bosses at Sub Zero, the company set up by developers Cool Runnings to build the centre, said they were "extremely surprised" at Mr Preston - and claim the council has known the "financial dynamics" of the scheme "for some considerable time".

Both said that the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) had committed to financially supporting the scheme.

Link: https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/row-over-snow-centres-future-19210255
 
Personally can’t see it being built for £20m

I’d need to know what else they could spend it on before commenting but, regeneration is a priority.
 
I struggle to see how the developers claim so many people will use it. Skiing is hardly an easy sport to get into (expensive equipment) for most ordinary people living in Teesside. If it does goes ahead, it's 50/50 whether it will actually survive beyond a few years. If it does fail, the building will become a burden for MBC.
 
Juninho10 said:
It's a NO from me (n)

23 out of 24 areas of Middlesbrough are classed as 'deprived' - I can think of better things to spend £20 Million on....



A political row over the future of Middlesbrough's long-awaited snow centre has intensified - with the town's MP pressing the council to stump up the cash to help it become a reality.

The facility has been heralded as the "catalyst" for large scale regeneration at Middlehaven and could bring millions of new visitors to the town.

The development has been in the pipeline for six years, but last week Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston claimed the multi-million pound proposals "don’t stack up financially".

Mr Preston said that due to the financial uncertainty brought about by the covid-19 pandemic, there was no way the council could afford to pump £20m into delivering the project.

But now Labour MP Andy McDonald has spoken out, saying he "cannot comprehend" why Mr Preston's authority will not financially back the development, claiming it is set to deliver a "guaranteed income" of £3m a year.

And bosses at Sub Zero, the company set up by developers Cool Runnings to build the centre, said they were "extremely surprised" at Mr Preston - and claim the council has known the "financial dynamics" of the scheme "for some considerable time".

Both said that the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) had committed to financially supporting the scheme.

Link: https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/row-over-snow-centres-future-19210255
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Let us know the things you think the money could be better spent on?

Middlesbrough Council will have money for investment and a project that will provide jobs at this particular time, will be a boost for some of the area's unemployed.

I'm not sure a snow centre will benefit that many of the area, particularly those towards the lower end of the wealth ladder, skiing is still very much a minority pastime.

The Forum in Billingham has been a tremendous asset to the area, it's publicly owned too, but a top quality swimming pool is missing from the area. A sports centre with an Olympic sized pool at its centre, with gyms and sports halls would, for me, benefit the people of Boro and across Teesside far more than a snow centre, and they've already bought the land.
 
No from me. Could never see them meeting visitor's they claimed would use it.

Out of interest how many people do posters know who go skiing. I know one who goes once a year with her father so maybe you can count that as two. My son went once with school about 20 years ago.
 
asredastheycome said:
No from me. Could never see them meeting visitor's they claimed would use it.

Out of interest how many people do posters know who go skiing. I know one who goes once a year with her father so maybe you can count that as two. My son went once with school about 20 years ago.
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Skiers, or at least keen skiers, are prob not the key market here.
The opportunity for the good folk of Middlesbrough to give it a try would be great.
If it is done properly they ought to incorporate kiddies sledging (parties) and, possibly, a more thrilling tobogganing run.
 
Anyone who knows anything about business knows putting the money in is a no-brainer. The project pays for itself and there's no real risk as there's already like for like comparisons in operation by the same operator. Pardon the expression, but this project is oven ready and it's good to go. All the planning and infrastructure work has already been done. £20 million is not that much in the greater scheme of things when you consider local authority finances and expenditure. There's around £15 million of private money already in the pot. There's a huge potential upside to this project with limited downside.
 
There is no suggestion that the council would have to spend £20 million on the Ski centre, or anywhere near that amount, other than from Mr Preston who can only do his sums correctly when they are in his favour or suits him.
First of all the TVCA have said they would back it, so that would mean that the council wouldn't have to back it by anywhere close to the money Preston has mentioned.
 
asredastheycome said:
No from me. Could never see them meeting visitor's they claimed would use it.

Out of interest how many people do posters know who go skiing. I know one who goes once a year with her father so maybe you can count that as two. My son went once with school about 20 years ago.
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I go once or twice a year, but having said that I wouldn't bother with a ski center like this as it wouldn't be at all fun or challenging for me, and so you're appealing to a very specific subset of "ski-ers" anyways.

The visitor numbers are complete pie-in-the-sky. Do I think MBC should make investments in schemes to attract more visitors, regenerate areas, provide jobs etc - Absolutely, is this one them, absolutely not.
 
asredastheycome said:
No from me. Could never see them meeting visitor's they claimed would use it.

Out of interest how many people do posters know who go skiing. I know one who goes once a year with her father so maybe you can count that as two. My son went once with school about 20 years ago.
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I wouldn't say it's necessarily as exclusive as it maybe once was. I ski, and know probably 30/40 people from the Teesside area who do too.

It's varied and for every person skiing in Switzerland or the more exclusive French Resorts / Canada there's people skiing in more budget friendly countries like Austria/Andorra/Bulgaria
 
Juninho10 said:
20,000 seater indoor Arena
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Now that would be a White Elephant! :)

Not that I think it would be possible but how about something like this to replace the Blast Furnace on the South Gare

Copenhill-ski-slope-from-above-Copenhagen-92-1571237379.jpg

This is the "Copenhill" from Copenhagen in that there Denmark. It is a "power from waste" plant but with a built-in artificial ski slope and recreational facilities. Views from the top would be breathtaking.
 
Muttley said:
Now that would be a White Elephant! :)

Not that I think it would be possible but how about something like this to replace the Blast Furnace on the South Gare

Copenhill-ski-slope-from-above-Copenhagen-92-1571237379.jpg

This is the "Copenhill" from Copenhagen in that there Denmark. It is a "power from waste" plant but with a built-in artificial ski slope and recreational facilities. Views from the top would be breathtaking.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure That plant feeds the whole of Copenhagen with power and theY sell the remainder to Norway. They are very proud of themselves.
 
1finny said:
Pretty sure That plant feeds the whole of Copenhagen with power and theY sell the remainder to Norway. They are very proud of themselves.
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The Noggies don't need power. They power themselves through hydro and sell the rest of the world oil and gas.
 
Nero said:
I struggle to see how the developers claim so many people will use it. Skiing is hardly an easy sport to get into (expensive equipment) for most ordinary people living in Teesside. If it does goes ahead, it's 50/50 whether it will actually survive beyond a few years. If it does fail, the building will become a burden for MBC.
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Imagine the lads and lasses of Boro bombing down the slopes on dustbin lids, in plastic bags and skateboards with no wheels 😂. Loved that as a kid.

Should the council pay? Definitely not.
 
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