Eaglecrest Ski Area's Gondola Project in Crisis

0:00Juno's Eagle Crest ski area is in hot water over a gondola project whose costs have soared to as much as $37 million. City leaders and the ski areas board are racing to figure out how to cover the massive overrun without sinking the entire operation. The plan kicked off in late 2021 and early 2022 under previous management. Back then, it was pitched as a game changer to grow summer activities and wean the aging lifts off taxpayer funding. Expected hurdles piled up fast, from pricey shipping out of Austria and terrifikes to surprise parts, a trip to Colorado for refurbishing, and exploding labor and construction rates, gold belt incorporated shipped in $10 million for revenue sharing, but that falls short now. Leadership turmoil hasn't helped, with two general managers pushed out and two board chairs stepping down since the purchase. The board is hunting for a new manager, while weighing pleas to investors or even pulling the plug after already spending $11 million.

1:00An assembly meeting on April 1st could decide the fate, though the May 2028 deadline feels out of reach amid the uncertainty. That's your update from Anchorage News today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with the story.