In the fall, there was uncertainty surrounding the future of the Kempaland ski area in Bukovec in the Jablunkov area. The ski resort, which municipal Technical Services had operated for years, was losing money. Consequently, the representatives of the easternmost domestic village put their foot down last year and dissolved the company, threatening skiers’ loss of the ski slope.
The village wanted to find a new operator for the ski resort. However, no one applied in the selection process, said Mayor Monika Czepczorová (For Bukovec). She added that her predecessor, Petr Jalowiczor, built the resort, and the village established Technical Services for Kempaland.
Their operations ended, mainly due to unstable weather, always in the red. The last managing director of the company, Andrea Ligocká, stated last year for the Trinec weekly Hutnik that the annual loss exceeded a million crowns. “And because the village had to subsidize the operation every year, maybe there was an exception when we did not have to subsidize, so we abolished Technical Services,” the mayor described.
Following this, when Bukovec did not find a new operator, the representatives of the village with about 1,400 inhabitants were faced with a decision. Either they close the ski resort, or the town will operate directly. “If we closed it, we would no longer put it back into operation,” explained Czepczorová, why they decided to save Kempaland, even with the prospect of another huge loss.
According to Mayor Czepczorová, the question is what will happen to Kempaland next season. “We are currently negotiating with an interested party; we’ll see how we agree,” she said, revealing that if the courtship failed, the village has a foreign company in reserve.