SnowFlex mega slope proposed for Dundalk

not14talk

Innovative Leisure Systems Ltd (ILS Ltd) of Dundalk and Briton Engineering Developments Ltd of Scholes, West Yorkshire today announced their part in a major “flagship” development for Ireland, which promises to create more than 1500 long term jobs when fully operational, and will turn Co. Louth, Dundalk and it’s environs into a top leisure and tourist destination of international, national, and regional significance.

“Altitude” is a multi-million Euro resort development covering approximately 140 acres of land, situated strategically equidistant between the two major centres of population on the island, and will provide a unique blend of indoor and outdoor leisure, entertainment and adventure facilities together with a large range of top International retailing, fine dining, late night entertainment, and accommodation opportunities. A place truly to “stay and play”, all year round.




The ambitious project will include building 13,500m2 Snowflex® ski slope facility, indoor events arenas, indoor and outdoor adventure park with climbing, caving, ropes courses, children’s play areas, white water rafting and canoe slalom course. The project will also include a major family entertainment centre offering the latest attractions, and Ireland's first interactive golf driving range. Accommodation will include a family hotel, 5* resort hotel, “state of the art” casino, spa facilities, quality self catering holiday lodges, all with the benefit of adjacency to the first all weather racetrack in Ireland, and other more traditional tourist activities in this major “gateway”.

The resort will encompass all the latest technologies to improve sustainability, energy exchange/recovery. It is designed to minimise the carbon footprint and will provide a significant test-bed for the emerging technologies. It is expected that a “combined heat and power” solution will be developed jointly with Bord Gáis, and Sustainable Energy Ireland.

The new Snowflex® ski slope which would be the largest in Europe to date will have a main slope approx 210m long x 60m wide and a beginner’s area approx 40m long x 60m wide. The slopes combined will have capacity for approx 500 customers.

Snowflex which has been recognised as one of the most exciting innovations in the snow sports market was chosen for the ski surface after much market research and was found to be the only credible alternative to “real” snow, designed to replicate all the properties that skiers and snowboarders experience with real snow. It is low maintenance, requires no grooming as with real snow, and is softer to fall on than hard packed snow.

The slope design for “Altitude” will take into account:
The local ski / snowboarder experience and skill level
Trends / appetite for particular features


and will incorporate features such as:
Quarter Pipes
Half Pipes
Spines
Fun Boxes
Table Tops
Jumps
Hips
Bowls
Cornice


Snowflex® offers snowsporters:
Maximum forward speed
Extra edge control for turning & control
Shock absorption layer providing ultra cushioning for falls
No holes or voids in the surface to get caught in
No sharp edges/surface metal to cause abrasions or cuts
Formability with the capability to create adventurous and interesting terrain and stunt formations


“The ‘Altitude’ resort, with such impressive facilities as a Snowflex® slope, will undoubtedly transform the economy of Dundalk, Co Louth and the whole area. It will generate thousands of permanent and seasonal jobs for the area when fully operational” said Sam Curran of ILS Ltd.

Terry Di Stasi, Briton’s Director of Business Development, added that Briton were delighted to be part of such important and prestigious resort development.

http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/news-8206.html

Mr Magnolia

Wow. I'll believe it when I see them turning sods and not before.

positron

+1.

Anyone remember the 190 acre 'heritage theme park' plan from a few years ago? Sounds like the someone (probably the Snowflex company) is trying to get some media attention by posting a possible-case scenario out there.

I hope it goes ahead

not14talk

positron wrote: »

'heritage theme park'

I would rather the theme park then this Snowflex thing but I would agree I will believe it when they start building it.

Grimlock

again believe it when i see it but that would be amazing!!!!!

indiewindy

Cant see it being built, remember the concert arena plan for the park inn, asda etc etc

mythicalireland

http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/dundalknews/Mammoth-ski-slope-set-for.5329434.jp

SDTimeout

Democrat saying 70m argus is saying 300 :rolleyes:

Would be quality if it goes ahead. I'm looking forward to it anyway if it does. 500 Jobs , i think i'll be old enough for a proper one then :P

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but didn't think I should start a new one.

Oral hearing was last week.

Ski slope plans 'strange thing to do in Ireland', say An Taisce

'...Instead of building an artificial ski slope which is a pretty strange thing to do in Ireland...'

Agree with posts above - it would be great to have something like this available in the country. Statement above is just silly and it angers me :mad:.
Dubai has an artificial ski slope ffs.

Any thoughts or comments?

Lord TSC

I visited the Dubai one a few months back when I was over there. Was great fun (and felt like home; the weather in Dubai was crazy warm so the cold skislope was brilliant :P). Really hope this goes ahead.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

The weather in Ireland isn't great for a lot of the mentioned outdoor activities. At least the slope would be available all year round (in theory).

God forbid people might use the ski slope instead of going to the pub.

MugMugs

There was mention of a White Water Rafting / Slalom course within this complex.

To be honest, I thought the whole thing had been shelved however, is this feature still included within the proposals ?

bigneacy

BearNecessities wrote: »

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but didn't think I should start a new one.

Oral hearing was last week.

Ski slope plans 'strange thing to do in Ireland', say An Taisce

'...Instead of building an artificial ski slope which is a pretty strange thing to do in Ireland...'

Agree with posts above - it would be great to have something like this available in the country. Statement above is just silly and it angers me :mad:.
Dubai has an artificial ski slope ffs.

Any thoughts or comments?

What exactly is An Taisce's opposition to this? They've been holding this up the whole way through - do they actually have a valid reason for this not being here. (Any who says it will affect the river should GTFO)

Were An Taisce also the reason for the retail park going to Banbridge and not Dundalk?

Vicxas

An Taisce - Against anything that doesnt make us look like backward farmers...

bigneacy

bigneacy wrote: »

What exactly is An Taisce's opposition to this?

An Taisce have labelled it as unrealistic and in their objection to An Bord Pleanala they said that it was a prime example of “unsustainable development.”

They also objected to it on six other points; namely habitats and ecology, flooding, landscape, transport, climate and its relation to Dundalk racecourse.

They had no problem with the racecourse so go figure, must not be getting the "fat brown envelopes" :rolleyes:

amacachi

hellboy99 wrote: »

An Taisce have labelled it as unrealistic and in their objection to An Bord Pleanala they said that it was a prime example of “unsustainable development.”

They also objected to it on six other points; namely habitats and ecology, flooding, landscape, transport, climate and its relation to Dundalk racecourse.

They had no problem with the racecourse so go figure, must not be getting the "fat brown envelopes" :rolleyes:

Weren't there hundreds and hundreds of houses built between the site and the river? It's funny how them being on a floodplain wasn't a problem.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I'm quite neutral on the whole thing (won't be my screne) but did Dundalk not struggle to keep an Ice Rink open?

careca11

Evangeline Shapely Asteroid wrote: »

I'm quite neutal on the whole thing (won't be my screne) but did Dundalk not struggle to keep an Ice Rink open?

I'd love the ski slope to open , was at the one in Dubai a few years back ....unreal experience

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

That's kind of the point. If they had financial difficulties with the Ice Dome would a ski-slope be sustainable as a business in the area?

(I'd edit the allegations on what is owed to whom BTW)

Waitsian

Evangeline Shapely Asteroid wrote: »

I'm quite neutral on the whole thing (won't be my screne) but did Dundalk not struggle to keep an Ice Rink open?

That's the whole point right there Evangeline Shapely Asteroid - the venture is unsustainable. Would the footfall into the place make enough to keep it open? Make enough to pay the bills and make a profit? No it wouldn't. Where are the hordes going to come from? Apparently (I remember reading once somewhere) the developers want to attract cruise ships to Greenore and bus them to Dundalk - to ski! On artificial snow!! You couldn't make it up. It's fecking hilarious.

It's like the last few years did't happen and people are in denial. Banks have re-introduced 100% mortgages to "kickstart" the housing market, and people now want a huge, big white elephant opened (that will fail) and are quite happy to blame An Taisce (sp) if it doesn't happen!

When will we learn? :rolleyes:

bigneacy

mod9maple wrote: »

That's the whole point right there Srameen - the venture is unsustainable. Would the footfall into the place make enough to keep it open? Make enough to pay the bills and make a profit? No it wouldn't. Where are the hordes going to come from? Apparently (I remember reading once somewhere) the developers want to attract cruise ships to Greenore and bus them to Dundalk - to ski! On artificial snow!! You couldn't make it up. It's fecking hilarious.

It's like the last few years did't happen and people are in denial. Banks have re-introduced 100% mortgages to "kickstart" the housing market, and people now want a huge, big white elephant opened (that will fail) and are quite happy to blame An Taisce (sp) if it doesn't happen!

When will we learn? :rolleyes:

How do you know it won't be a success, though? When they first started building casinos in an insignificant town in Nevada less than a century ago i'm sure plenty of people scoffed at the idea. They were in the depths of recession then too, you know.

I'm not saying Dundalk could, should or would ever be allowed to turn out like Las Vegas, but i'm saying you don't know if it will be successful or not. The idea that we could have a major tourist attraction that will draw tourists from Ireland, Britain, europe and worldwide is very exciting. It will firmly place us on the leisure and tourism map and will also aid the re-opening of the ice dome (which, by the way was NOT closed due to lack of demand, research it a bit before you make assumptions. The market is there for it, mismanagement and greed was it's downfall)

CMpunked

bigneacy wrote: »

The market is there for it, mismanagement and greed was it's downfall)

That sentence sums up the reason as to why a lot of places like the ice dome is closed these days.

Can we not build a gigantic tent-like structure (and I'm not joking, either) and have a theme park somewhere? Something along the lines of Port Aventura in Salou or such? Proper Rollercoasters and theme park rides and stores (get someone big to sponsor it? Disney Land Ireland? :P ) and then incorporate an ice rink into that?


An ice rink is a fairly hit and miss application. There are some people who'd love it, and a majority of people who'd rather just go skiing or snowboarding in an actual snowy country (and considering Ireland's not the cheapest place in the world, I'd imagine, to tourists, ski holidays would be much more popular than visiting Dundalk in Ireland).


With a proper theme park, indoors at that, you know that people will be interested in it. If done properly, it could create a massive amount of tourism for the country. And if it's indoors, you don't have to worry about the typical Irish weather being a constant nuisance (and an indoor, warm area means that people will still visit in the winter time and such).


I'm sure this kind of thing would cost an absolute fortune to design and build, but lets face it, our heritage and old battered historical buildings aren't exactly pulling the tourists in. I reckon this could be a huge win for Ireland.

Skate rink on its own? Not so much.

All in my own opinion, of course.

Lord TSC

IIRC, there was a proposal for a theme park around Drogheda a while ago but it was shot down as it would have "increased traffic"...

bigneacy

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

IIRC, there was a proposal for a theme park around Drogheda a while ago but it was shot down as it would have "increased traffic"...

Just put more tolls in and around Drogheda. Simples.

Teamshadowclan

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

IIRC, there was a proposal for a theme park around Drogheda a while ago but it was shot down as it would have "increased traffic"...

Oh yeah. I never thought of that.

Phew. Fair play to whoever thought of that so quickly. Dodged a bullet there! :rolleyes: