Appointment with Haslauer

After the end of Rudolfshütte, there is already hope

Hotelier Wilfried Holleis wants to put the brakes on the Rudolfshütte and cable car on Sunday.(Bild: Roland Hölzl)

Wilfried Haslauer is making the end of the Rudolfshütte and Weißsee cable car a top priority: the provincial governor will meet hoteliers and mayors next week to discuss the future of the hotel and cable car.

The sudden end of the Rudolfshütte and Weißsee cable car has caused a stir beyond the borders of the Stubach Valley. Hotelier Wilfried Holleis announced on Monday that the well-known mountain hotel in Uttendorf, including the cable car up to the Weißsee, would be closing - as reported by the "Krone" newspaper. Holleis cited a lack of support from regional politicians and lengthy procedures regarding the expansion of the three-star-plus hotel to a total of 576 beds as the reasons.

"Power station valley and touristy for decades"
For more than ten years, the extension on the edge of the Hohe Tauern National Park has been a bone of contention. The hotelier has applied for approval in several stages. In July, the Provincial Environmental Ombudsman's Office (LUA) objected to a decision.

It now needs to be clarified whether or not an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is required. "The application for the extension was initially only for the building shell and 30 rooms. This year, there was talk of a total of 580 beds," says environmental lawyer Gishild Schaufler, arguing for the intervention. "It makes a difference to Alpine nature how many people are on the mountain," says Schaufler.

Holleis counters that the Weißsee has been a tourist area for decades anyway. The expansion is simply a prerequisite for the survival of the businesses. In addition, Stubachtal and Weißsee are also known for their power plants.

For us as a community, this is a shock. We are losing the largest hotel business in the village in one fell swoop. We now need everyone to join forces to ensure that the hotel can continue to operate.

Hannes Lerchbaumer, SPÖ-Bürgermeister von Uttendorf

"I am shocked by the loss of the leading business," says Hannes Lerchbaumer. The SPÖ mayor of Uttendorf is losing the largest accommodation business (60,000 overnight stays) in the village. But there is hope again. An appointment with Governor Wilfried Haslauer and Vice Governor Stefan Schnöll has been scheduled for next Wednesday. Holleis will also be there. When asked, Haslauer's office only confirmed the date. It therefore remains to be seen whether operation in winter or the future continued existence of the Rudolfshütte and mountain railroad will become a reality