Opinion: Save the Chateau – the Govt must act to protect our heritage

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THREE KEY FACTS
Weston Kirton is the Mayor of Ruapehu District Council.
OPINION
It was with great disappointment we heard Conservation Minister Tama Potaka confirm that the Chateau Tongariro could possibly be “decommissioned”.

The Chateau Tongariro Hotel holds a special place for us here in Ruapehu and in
the hearts of New Zealanders.

Whether you have been lucky enough to stay there, have stopped for afternoon tea, or simply admired it while driving past, there is no denying its grandeur and historic significance. Our parliamentary petition (which is still open) asking the Government to ensure the Chateau is restored now has over 12,000 signatures.
The Chateau Tongariro is in the top tier of New Zealand’s heritage buildings. Sitting in the lounge beside the grand piano and under the chandelier, looking out through the enormous picture window with the alpine bush and uninterrupted views of Ngauruhoe, is simply world-class.
Losing the Chateau would however be more than an aesthetic and cultural tragedy. The much-loved historic venue provided 30% of our “high-end” tourism beds with spending from the 27,000 visitors during its pre-2021 peak years – putting an estimated $12.2 million per annum into our economy.
The Chateau contributed 9% of the employment in Ruapehu’s tourism-focused industries; 1.5% of the total Ruapehu GDP and nearly 10% of the GDP sourced from those Ruapehu tourism-focused industries.
For more than 90 years, it has supported our local economy with direct jobs as well as dozens of local suppliers and tradespeople.
It also ran a hospitality training programme for Ngāti Tūwharetoa’s rangatahi. With the recent closure of the Winstone mills and the difficulties experienced by the two Ruapehu ski fields, losing the Chateau would be a significantly serious blow.
Up until it was reported in the NZ Herald that the search for new investor-developers had been put on hold, we were under the assumption that the Department of Conservation (DoC) was still overseeing an expressions of interest (EOI) process.
With a reported 18 expressions of interest received by DoC, and Ruapehu District Council aware of other credible developers with the proven track record and financial capability to undertake the project, it was very disappointing to say the least that we had to read that the EOI process has been stopped.
Everyone recognises that bringing the Chateau back to life and reinstating it as a heritage icon and major contributor to the Ruapehu and New Zealand tourism economy will be expensive and present challenges. However, with the right deal structure none of these are insurmountable.
The Government has expressed a strong commitment to fostering private-public partnerships (PPP) as a key mechanism for delivering major infrastructure projects. The restoration of the Chateau Tongariro Hotel presents an ideal PPP opportunity, one that can leverage private sector expertise and investment to deliver core tourism infrastructure that will help underpin regional economic growth.
We urge the Government to reinstate the EOI process as a matter of urgency. Developers interested in restoring the Chateau must be given the opportunity to step forward with their vision.
There is no reason for this iconic hotel to remain idle when there are capable developers ready to act, and when the hotel’s restoration aligns so well with the Government’s stated goals of boosting tourism, creating jobs, and growing the economy.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been tirelessly looking for opportunities to grow the wealth of New Zealand, and here in Ruapehu, the Chateau is one we cannot afford to lose.
Reopening the door to private sector proposals will ensure this heritage site can contribute to our country’s future once again.
Let’s not lose the chance to secure the Chateau’s place in New Zealand’s tourism legacy and as a contributor to our economic future.

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