Business debate with college on skiing

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 382, 16 April 1991, Page 1

Business debate with college on skiing

While Ruapehu College is yet to decide where to hold its Secondary Schools skiing competition for 1991, Whakapapa is the most likely option based on the cost of day passes for the people coming to the event. But this deci^ion would upset some Ohakune business people.

Event organiser John Laurensen was invited to a Ruapehu South Business Association meeting last week to outline to the group the present state of plans, where he told the group that at this stage Whakapapa was the most likely because their price is substantially lower than Turoa's. After some discussion he told the meeting that the cost to the college would be $10,000 to $15,000 more if the event were held at Turoa.

Turoa marketing manager Nancy Van der Laan told the meeting that while Turoa had dropped its price for competitors, officials, coaches and other people directly involved with running the event to that of Whakapapa's, the company was prepared to offer a 30 per cent discount to supporters. "What we've found in past years is that, while the supporters come along to watch the races, they spend most of the Turnpage2

College skiing competition

From page 1 time during the three days off free skiing nowhere near the races," said Miss Van der Laan. She said it was normal for a skifield to give people involved in organising and participating in an event ski passes at a much reduced price because they would attract spectators who would be paying the normal price. Loss & profit "But we don't think it is fair to expect Turoa to give out tickets at a loss to spectators who are then going to free ski alongside full-paying customers." Miss Van der Laan said the issue was that the college was asking the skifields to give them ski passes at rock bot-

tom prices so they could then sell them in a package to competing schools and make a profit. "I don't think it is fair to expect Turoa to loose money so that the college can make money." RSBA member Paul Scarf said at the meeting that the college had a moral obligation to Ohakune businesses to hold the event at Turoa in return for the help that they gave the college through the rest of the year. Gavin Moore, also of the RSBA, said it was a question of loyalty. "I believe a bit of loyalty to the town on your behalf is not being shown here," said Mr Moore. Mr Laurenson said

other factors apart from the financial question were being taken into account in making their decision, otherwise the decision would have already been made. Sponsorship The meeting discussed the idea of finding sponsorship to make up the shortfall for the college so the event could be held at Turoa under their terms and Mr Laurensen said this was now open to change with the previous prize sponsors now no longer in existence. He said however that the college did not want the event as a sponsor-named event. The Bulletin asked Ruapehu College principal Harry Cast if it was true that the school made a profit on running the event, to which he replied that they did, albeit a small profit. Mr Laurensen said the excess funds at the end of last year's event were put into the squash courts building fund. Mr Cast said there was a surplus of funds after running the event because of the huge amount of voluntary work that went into it as well as because of the cheaper lift tickets. Mr Cast said the college organisers had done everything they could to keep the event at Turoa and that they were still hoping to hold it at Turoa. Asked if he agreed that there was a moral obligation to the town's businesses to hold the event at Turoa, Mr Cast

said the college appreciated the continued support of some businesses. "I look back on the past year and we've had the Hui Aranga at the college and the Sing Aotearoa and the Deer Stalkers' Conference," said Mr Cast "I think there was a pretty fair contribution to the town from those events." Mr Cast and Mr Laurensen said they believed Turoa would

benefit from the event even at the lower ticket prices. Mr Cast said the 1989 event was responsible for between three and five per cent of Turoa's skier days for the whole season, and Mr Laurensen said most of the visitors came the weekend before the event and would ski two days at full price. They would be likely to ski at the field the event was being held at, he said.