Industry News
In a resounding show of support, residents of Swiss villages Flims, Laax, and Falera have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a joint municipal takeover of the Flims-Laax-Falera ski area, securing local ownership of one of Switzerland’s biggest and most well-known ski resorts. These public votes were the final step required before the three villages could jointly purchase the lift infrastructure of the Flims-Laax-Falera ski are for CHF 94.5 million ($118 million).
The public votes, held separately in each village over three days last week, all passed with strong majorities: Falera (93.24%), Laax (93.21%), and Flims (85.48%). The CHF acquisition will see the municipalities jointly purchase the ski area’s lift and snowmaking infrastructure from Weisse Arena Bergbahnen AG, the resort’s longtime operator. The Weisse Arena Group will continue to operate the ski area under a 30-year lease agreement with the newly expanded, municipally owned Finanz Infra AG.
The move was designed to preempt a potential foreign takeover, with U.S. industry giants like Vail Resorts and Alterra reportedly expressing interest in the popular Swiss ski destination.
Flims mayor Christoph Schmidt said the decisive results reflected strong community engagement. “The project sparked a lot of discussion and brought many people to the polls,” he said. “The clarity of this vote shows our residents are united behind a shared vision for the region’s tourism future.”
Laax mayor Franz Gschwend called the result “a clear vote of confidence” in the work of local leaders and the Weisse Arena Group, which he praised as “a fair and reliable partner for decades.”
Falera’s mayor Norbert Good expressed pride in the turnout among younger voters, noting their enthusiasm for “a project that will shape opportunities for future generations.”
For Reto Gurtner, majority-owner and CEO of the Weisse Arena Group, the outcome marks another chapter in a long partnership between the company and local communities. “The Weisse Arena has been the foundation of the region’s prosperity for decades,” he said. “This decision strengthens that bond and ensures a positive future for tourism in the region.” Gurtner, a local businessman with a law and business degree, took over the Laax mountain railway from his father in the 1980s. He merged the operations of Laax with those of neighboring Flims in 1996 and created an interconnected ski area with an annual turnover of around CHF 120 million. Gurtner modeled the merger of the resorts on Vail Resorts’ business model and also focussed on owning and operating the ski school, ski rental, and hospitality on the mountain and in the three villages Flims, Laax, and Falera. In 2020, Gurtner stepped back as CEO, but when the new CEO, Markus Wolf, abruptly departed along with four other members of the management, Gurtner stepped back up as interim-CEO, signaling he was looking for a different long-term solution for the resort.
Under the agreement, ownership of key infrastructure, such as lifts, snowmaking systems, and buildings, will be transferred to municipal entity, while operations will be handled by the Weisse Arena. Project manager Adrian Wolf said the arrangement could become “a model for other alpine regions” seeking to balance community control with sustainable, professional management. The model is certainly a move away from the consolidation the market is experiencing in many other countries, especially in North America.
Flims-Laax-Falera is located in the canton of Graubünden/Grischa in the south-east of Switzerland, about two hours from Zurich airport. The combined ski area offers 224 kilometers (140 miles) of groomed runs and five terrain parks serviced by 28 ski lifts. The majority of the resort is situated at an altitude of between 2,000-3,000 meters (6,560-9,840 feet), making it one of the most snow-proof ski resorts in the world. Flims-Laax, as it is known for short, is well known as a Freestyle mecca and each year hosts the FIS Freeski & Snowboard World Cup in Slopestyle and Halfpipe, also known as the Laax Open.
