Why doesn't Ireland have a ski resort during the winter?

gonedrinking

With artificial snow obviously, as most of our mountains don't get much snow naturally. There is bound to be plenty of mountains suitable for such a project. Create a mini village, have hotels, pubs, restaurants, ski equipment shops. Have other activities like ice-rinks, rock climbing, hiking, all that stuff. Put on free buses to the mountain from all the major cities every weekend to take people there. Also open indoor dry slope facilities in Cork and Galway (think there already is one in Dublin). Think of all the jobs such a project would create. It would add about 1 billion euros* to the Irish economy every year, not to mention all the jobs created in the construction of the village and slopes.
















* figure plucked out of thin air

why not have it during the summer if
its artificial?

Sunnyisland

We already have one,

The one and only artificial dry ski slope in Ireland, is located at Kilternan, Co. Dublin. It is managed by the Ski Club of Ireland (www.skiclub.ie) and is open through out the year (hail, rain or shine). The Ski Club of Ireland is a non profit organisation which aims to develop the sport of skiing in Ireland.

gonedrinking

rarnes1 wrote: »

why not have it during the summer if
its artificial?

because the temperature during the summer would melt the artificial snow in no time

ICE HOUSE

Why doesn't Ireland have a ski resort during the winter?

We do, we have a big one here in Dublin in the winter its called the M50 but its reserved for cars.

gonedrinking

realies wrote: »

We already have one,

The one and only artificial dry ski slope in Ireland, is located at Kilternan, Co. Dublin. It is managed by the Ski Club of Ireland (www.skiclub.ie) and is open through out the year (hail, rain or shine). The Ski Club of Ireland is a non profit organisation which aims to develop the sport of skiing in Ireland.

Thats a dry slope, thats different to what I'm talking about. Plus I'm talking about a proper resort where people will stay for a week or so.

gonedrinking

gonedrinking wrote: »

because the temperature during the summer would melt the artificial snow in no time

Not in an indoor one

gonedrinking

rarnes1 wrote: »

Not in an indoor one

yes the indoor facilities I mentioned could operate all year, but the resort itself could only operate during winter

bigneacy

gonedrinking wrote: »

With artificial snow obviously, as most of our mountains don't get much snow naturally. There is bound to be plenty of mountains suitable for such a project. Create a mini village, have hotels, pubs, restaurants, ski equipment shops. Have other activities like ice-rinks, rock climbing, hiking, all that stuff. Put on free buses to the mountain from all the major cities every weekend to take people there. Also open indoor dry slope facilities in Cork and Galway (think there already is one in Dublin). Think of all the jobs such a project would create. It would add about 1 billion euros* to the Irish economy every year, not to mention all the jobs created in the construction of the village and slopes.



* figure plucked out of thin air

A project of this type was approved a week or two ago in Dundalk.

Altitude

gonedrinking

in fact they should just put that casino planned for Tipperary in my ski resort and therefore the resort could stay open all year round

gonedrinking

bigneacy wrote: »

A project of this type was approved a week or two ago in Dundalk.

Altitude

haha so they have, they even have plans for a casino as well. Can't believe I never heard of this before.


http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/local/altitude_plan_could_see_six_million_tourists_visit_dundalk_per_year_1_1980460


'Altitude' plan could see six million tourists visit Dundalk per year


Published on Tuesday 24 November 2009 04:28

Over six-million tourists could visit Dundalk on a yearly basis if ambitious plans for the 'Altitude' leisure development are given the green light.

The e430m project, which will be rolled out over seven years, will create 1,200 full time and more than 380 part-time jobs.
The crippled construction industry will be the first to take advantage of the situation as over 400 jobs will be created on site during the initial construction phase.
Plans for the ambitious project were first unveiled in June of this year and a planning application is set to be lodged in the near future with Dundalk Town Council.
When completed, 'Altitude' which will be located just off the M1 Dublin-Belfast motorway at Dowdallshill is expected to bring in 6.2m visitors a year.
The entire project, when completed will include an iconic ski slope and nursery slopes; a family hostel with over 100 beds, an 110,000-sq ft indoor concert arena, a 80,000-sq ft leisure zone which will include a cinema, a 10-pin bowling and children's zone.
Along with this, a 40,000-sq ft surf and water leisure dome will be included as will a 80,000-sq ft site comprising of specialist sports and leisure related retail, restaurants and bars.
Later phases will include additional hotel accommodation and, once relevant legislation is in place, an international casino.
It is hoped that the project will be completed by 2016 with work expected to begin early next year with the first attractions due to open in the first half of 2011 and remaining elements to be introduced over the following five years.
Almost 1,200 full-time and more than 380 part-time jobs are set to be created in the northeast as plans are finalised for a major all-weather tourism and leisure development to be rolled out over a seven year period to 2016.
As reported by the Dundalk Democrat in June, the initial phases of 'Altitude' will cost e70m-e100m to deliver with the overall investment rising to e430m through to 2016.
Two businessmen are looking to change the face of Dundalk forever.
Pearse O'Hanrahan and Sam Curran, directors of Innovative Leisure Systems, are the men behind perhaps the most ambitious project that Dundalk has ever seen.
The duo are ready to roll out their n430m 'Altitude' project, one that could attract six million visitors a year to Dundalk by 2016.
O'Hanrahan and Curran have assembled a strong team of Irish and international consultants to bring specialised expertise to various aspects of the project.
Mr Curran has considerable prior experience of property development throughout Ireland and was centrally involved in delivering the Dundalk Icedome project in 2006.
Mr O'Hanrahan has been a director of Bord Gis ireann since 2002 and chairs its investment and infrastructure committee. A former chairman of Dundalk Town Council and vice-chairman of Combat Poverty, he currently chairs Dundalk Port.
The first part of their project is the all year round skiing facility using Snowflex, a high performance synthetic system that enables a commercial outdoor snow sports centre to be built for year-round use regardless of climate.
Outlining details of 'Altitude', Mr Curran said that the proposers are confident that the market will exist for this type of tourism and leisure development.
He said: "We've done very extensive work over the last 30 months to fine-tune what we include in our plans and are completely satisfied that the mix of different elements we propose will prove a compelling attraction, not only to the regional and national market across the island of Ireland but also to overseas visitors who can readily access this location by flying into Dublin or Belfast.
"The elements we will provide are not available at any other single site in Ireland or the UK while many of the individual parts also have no direct comparison here at present.
"We have looked closely at facilities available in the UK, mainland Europe, Asia and north America and the experience is that people are willing to travel to enjoy this type of attraction once it is hitting the right price range and what is on offer is regularly refreshed and added to. 'Altitude' will score well on both counts."
Mr Curran also stated that the group does expect the economy to recover by the time 'Altitude' is built so that they are not just relying on the domestic market.
He also states that they are not dependent on funding from the banking sector and that 'Altitude' is the 'type of innovative scheme that can itself contribute heavily to rebuilding the Irish economy."

RichieC

we should have a tropical resort while we're at it.

mariebeth

It'll work for the first year as it will be a novelty, but pretty soon, people will begin to realise that it's over priced and not worth it.

Anyone

Why would anybody travel to Ireland to go skiing on a fake slope with fake snow?

staker

Anyone wrote: »

Why would anyone travel to Ireland to go skiing on a fake slope with fake snow?

Is this a rhetorical question??

Anyone

staker wrote: »

Is this a rhetorical question??

I just cant see why anybody would travel to Ireland to go skiing. There are other countries that have these facilities, both fake and real. They would do it better and cheaper imo.

In my opinion we don't have a ski resort in Ireland because it's a stupid idea that will just lose money.

Anyone

Just to add....I do like the fact that someone has asked this on what is forecasted to be the hottest day of the year so far

gonedrinking

Anyone wrote: »

In my opinion we don't have a ski resort in Ireland because it's a stupid idea that will just lose money.

It works in other countries, theres no reason it couldn't work here. Although I do think the altitude place would be better if it was on a mountain where there is a better chance of getting real snow, and also it just feels more like a real skiing experience when you are on a mountain. Ireland doesn't have any resort type places where people can holiday so it could result in more people deciding to stay in the country for their holidays. It could also be a good place for stag do's, and there would also be loads of school trips to the place during the week as well.

Chochese

One word: Rain.

It tends to rain a lot here. I wouldn't fancy spending a week skiing down a slope being pelted by the driving rain and howling winds which we tend to get here in Ireland.

Couldn't imagine it being the most pleasurable experience!

loobylou

You need temperatures below zero to make artificial snow, we dont get temps that low for long enough.

holystungun9

Anyone wrote: »

Why would anybody travel to Ireland to go skiing on a fake slope with fake snow?

The final element would be 'the craic'.

The King of Moo

No one would travel here to ski. But it might go down well in Ireland for a while as the Celtic Tiger keeping-up-with-the-Joneses culture lingers for another few years.
However, the people who like to tell their friends they've been skiing probably wouldn't like to tell them they've been skiing in Dundalk and would still travel to the continent.
It might get some business for a while from non-serious skiers but I can't imagine it lasting.