SNOW SPORTS
LET IT SNOW
in Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead’s 30-year-old dry ski slope has been
given a £23m makeover to become The Snow Centre,
the first in a proposed chain of indoor snow slopes
A
lthough Hemel Hempstead’s for concern, since The Snow Centre is 30 Tourist Office to ask if any of the ski re-
dry ski slope had earned a miles closer to London and may stem the gions were interested in sponsoring the
reputation for providing good flow of visitors to Milton Keynes. walls and two regions, Oetztel and Zil-
instruction and turning out lertel, took up the offer. The back wall is
good skiers and snowboarders, the ad- CREATING THE SNOW CENTRE sponsored by Columbia, which also pro-
vent of artificial snow ski centres meant “We decided we wanted to create a vides all the clothing, and the equipment
there was a limited future for dry slopes. training academy and a centre of excel- is sponsored by Head Tyrolian.
The launch of Xscape at Milton Keynes, lence, not a theme park,” says Gillespie. The Snow Centre has been five years
just a stone’s throw away, added to the “We went around all the snow centres in the making and opened for business
problem. Although lesson bookings re- and took the best of the key things and in May this year, giving ample time to
mained buoyant or even increased, there designed out what we thought didn’t sort out any teething problems before
was a dramatic fall in people using the work. We wanted a big nursery slope, winter. “There were a few planning
slope for recreational skiing and boarding. as most people come for lessons and issues,” says Gillespie. “This is quite a
Owner operator David Surrey, who de- we wanted it to feel open, with wide funky building to be situated right in
veloped the Hemel slope with his father, slopes and a high roof.” the middle of a residential area, this
had a choice of ticking along or creating To animate the space, the walls are site was always designated for sports
an ambitious, next generation centre. He decorated with mountain and recreational use. The town is be-
took the latter option, putting together vistas: floor to ceiling ing renovated and the council is keen to
an experienced board and enlisting the photos of Austrian make it more of a destination, so it was
expertise of Pete Gillespie as snowsports scenery. Gillespie con- generally enthusiastic about creating an
director. Now Xscape may have cause tacted the Austrian exciting venue to bring extra revenue
People can
learn to be ski
instructors or
take refresher
qualifications
The first year target is 300,000 visits, with a £6.5m
turnover, extending to 500,000 visits in a few years’ time
68 Read Sports Management online
sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital Issue 4 2009 © cybertrek 2009
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