23 January 2024
Jason Lee
[FYI request #25101 email]
Dear Jason
OFFICIAL INFORMATION REQUEST PURE TUROA LIMITED
I refer to your official information request dated 9 December 2023 referring to all correspondence,
briefings, and consultation information between RDC and Pure Turoa Ltd, in regard to Turoa Ski
Field from January to December 2023:
The information you have requested is enclosed:
• 8 June 2023, Letter to Our Community from Pure Tūroa
Official Information shared with Elected Members
to determine Council’s position on voting at the
Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Watershed Meeting of Creditors is publicly available and you are referred to
Council Agenda 19 June 2023, and the associated minutes
Emergency Council Meeting 19/06/2023
- Ruapehu District Council (ruapehudc.govt.nz)
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
T Paladin
GOVERNANCE MANAGER
Attachments:
1. 8 June 2023, Letter to Our Community from Pure Tūroa
8 June 2023
Letter to Our Community
We’d like to provide some details around who we are and our participation in the Ruapehu
Alpine Lifts Ltd (Administrators Appointed) (RAL) insolvency process being led by PwC and
the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE).
John Fisk and Richard Nacey of PwC in their capacity as the voluntary administrators of
RAL, have been working constructively with MBIE since late last year to find a sustainable
way forward for snow sports to continue on Mt Ruapehu.
The next critical step is a ‘watershed meeting’ which wil likely be cal ed by PwC on 20 June
2023. This meeting provides creditors the opportunity to vote on the future of RAL. Ahead of
the meeting, PwC are required to circulate a report to creditors setting out the options
available for creditors to vote on. As part of this, PwC are expected to present the two
MBIE-preferred bids. Pure Tūroa Ltd expects that it wil be one of those bidders.
As the watershed meeting approaches, and speculation of what next for snow sports on
Ruapehu grows, the team at Pure Tūroa are committed to our community which is why we
have been working tirelessly to ensure the best outcome for al stakeholders.
Confidentiality agreements mean there are some limitations on what we can talk about. But
we can talk about who we are and why we care about the maunga.
We can also share our aspirations for the wider district and the communities that Tūroa snow
sports sustain.
It’s become abundantly clear that a significant investment is required to keep snow sports on
the South-Western slopes of Ruapehu operations safe, environmental y sustainable, and
respectful of iwi cultural values for the long term.
The Pure Tūroa team is a strong group of passionate Ohakune business people and
residents, past RAL employees, and dual residents who have a long standing and deep
connection with the region. We’ve ral ied the experiences and goodwil of a great many more
people to create a solid and capable team.
Our mission is to ensure environmental y and financial y sustainable Tūroa operations in
col aboration with iwi. We very much appreciate and respect the significance of the maunga,
and Tongariro National Park, to iwi. The goal is to preserve economic prosperity for our local
communities, provide new jobs, develop year-round opportunities, and continue to develop a
pathway for our tamariki through their school years and into the snow sports industry.
The suggestions we have heard – that we are cashed up investors doing backroom deals to
create an exclusive snow experience for the ultra wealthy – are just plain untrue.
Yes. We have been frustrated and disappointed by some of the il -informed commentary by
some while we have been operating under tight confidentiality agreements which have left
us unable to respond publicly.
Yes. When we got together earlier this year Pure Tūroa had a clear objective of presenting a
bid to purchase the RAL Tūroa assets.
Yes. We have positively engaged and are col aborating with iwi, DoC, local business owners
and our community leaders.
Yes. We have a deep understanding of what it takes to run snow sports in one of the world’s
most chal enging environments.
Yes. Pure Tūroa has assembled a solid and experienced operations team supported by a
dedicated group of finance and marketing professionals to make sure we can open this
season.
Yes. We are working hard to have a Season Pass launched for 2023 that wil give one of the
best value ski and ride experiences in the country.
Yes. Pure Tūroa is building a wil ing and ready base of locals to start operations on the
Tūroa slopes. The buzz on the local streets is amazing!
Yes. If we are successful – there wil be a Tūroa ski season this year!
Why only Tūroa? Whakapapa and Tūroa are different. Different stakeholders, different
approaches, different staff, different communities and Tūroa is closely integrated into the
wel being of the Ohakune township.
Under the previous single large and complex not-for-profit organisation we al often had a
very average experience. It was a structure where options for raising capital were very
limited. Tūroa often came off second best with resources weighted to Whakapapa. With the
two fields under different ownership our aim is to set Tūroa on a course to provide bril iant
snow sports for those just starting out right through to the most experienced.
Pure Tūroa’s focus is on delivering a much better customer experience with lifts opening on
time, maximising skier days, reduced queues, and staying true to the Tūroa culture of fun,
adventure, and inclusion of everyone wishing to enjoy and appreciate the maunga.
There are many passionate people out there with many different views on how the process
forward and the ski areas should be run. The Pure Tūroa team know that most just want a
sustainable solution that wil deliver economic prosperity and job creation for the region.
RSSA, a recently incorporated association of largely Auckland-resident skiers, emerged from
a Facebook group serving RAL Life Pass Holders. We understand their leadership put
forward a proposal based around a crowdfunding model. More recently their frequent social
media posts have indicated a shift to a position of criticism of how the process has been
conducted and to pursuing an alternative legal route.
As locals we know that a solution that relies on a give a little page, or the goodwil of
Aucklanders, just won’t deliver the certainty our local families need.
Pure Tūroa has chosen to remain professional y engaged in the process as its the best, and
perhaps only, way for snow sports to continue at Ruapehu. Moves to derail the process at
this late stage has the real possibility of leading to the permanent closure of both fields – and
none of us want that. The economic impact would be devastating to our region. The taxpayer
would be left footing the $100M-plus bil for removal of mountain infrastructure.
We know there is some water to go under the bridge yet, but we are looking forward to
presenting an excel ent offer to RAL Life Pass Holders at the watershed meeting along with
ensuring unsecured creditors are looked after.
As locals we know we can do this and make it great. Thank you for your interest and we look
forward to being able to share much more with you soon. We hope and are confident of
gaining your trust and support as this process unfolds.
The Pure Tūroa team,
Pure Tūroa Ltd, Ohakune
