26,500 Guests Attend Schladming-Dachstein Ski Opening
A complete success: 26,500 guests over three days, three international superstars in the Schladming Planai Stadium and a weekend full of superlatives! "The Grand Festival 2024" will go down in history as the region's largest ski opening: a perfect start to the 2024/25 ski season! The Schladming-Dachstein region with the 4 mountains (Hauser Kaibling, Planai, Hochwurzen, Reiteralm) and organizer Klaus Leutgeb (Leutgeb Entertainment Group) look back on a successful weekend.
GRAND FINALE WITH SIMPLY RED ON DECEMBER 8TH
On Sunday, frontman Mick Hucknall and his band Simply Red rounded off the trio at the Schladming-Dachstein 2024 Ski Opening and once again created a top atmosphere. He was talkative and in a good mood, repeatedly communicating with the audience in German and presented a setlist full of favorite songs. Starting with "Better with You" through "Holding Back The Years" and "Stars" to "If You Don't Know Me By Now" as the last encore.
INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS, REGIONAL VALUE CREATION
Bryan Adams, Sting and Simply Red brought around 26,500 fans and ski-loving festival guests to the Ski Opening Schladming-Dachstein 2024. 10,000 on the very first evening for Canadian superstar Bryan Adams, 9,500 on Saturday for British pop legend Sting and finally another 7,000 for frontman Mick Hucknall and his band Simply Red. Many of the guests stayed for all three concerts and thereby noticeably extended their vacation in the Schladming-Dachstein region. 52% of festival pass holders were international guests and therefore traveled from further afield. Last year, the Ski Opening Schladming-Dachstein was taken to a new level with Robbie Williams and more than eleven million euros in demand, and this year this number could be topped again.
"We are incredibly proud that we were able to implement this three-day mega-event together with our partners, the cable cars of the 4-mountain ski area Schladming and the Leutgeb Entertainment Group. A total of around 26,500 visitors from more than 30 countries were our guests in the Schladming-Dachstein region this weekend. And the three stars have also learned to appreciate our region and want to come back for holidays," say Mathias Schattleitner , Managing Director of the Schladming-Dachstein tourism region, and Andreas Keinprecht , Chairman of the Schladming-Dachstein tourism region.
GRATITUDE
The legendary Planai Stadium has already hosted stars such as the Toten Hosen, Andreas Gabalier, Timmy Trumpet, Martin Garrix and Robbie Williams last year. The three international top acts Bryan Adams, Sting and Simply Red are now joining this group. Concert organizer Klaus Leutgeb thanks his team and is pleased with “The Grand Festival 2024”:
"I would like to thank my great team and all partners from the region. The trusting partnership with Schladming-Dachstein, which has now lasted almost 10 years, shows that it is worth pursuing projects and goals in the long term and sustainably. The Ski Opening has now really turned into a 'Grand Festival' - a permanent fixture in the event landscape and a real boost for value creation in the region. I am very grateful to be able to implement this event here with my team."
STAGE, STARS & SNOW FUN
The top event also attracted numerous celebrities to Styria. Among others, ÖFB boss Ralf Rangnick, ÖFB sports director Peter Schöttel , Defense Minister Mag. Klaudia Tanner , presenter Silvia Schneider with her boyfriend Jamie Harrison , footballers Stefan Ilsanker , Mario Haas and Roman Mählich , ski legends Klaus Kröll, Reinfried Herbst and Andreas Goldberger and tennis star Thomas Muster were in Schladming. Lawyer Manfred Ainedter and Styrian Chamber of Commerce President Josef Herk also mingled with the guests. But representatives from art and culture such as Harry Prünster , Fred Jaklitsch (Die Seer), Ewald Pfleger and Günter Grasmuck (Opus) were also enthusiastic about the top stars on site.
200 spotlights, 150 square meters of LED surfaces and a total of 50 tons of material were used to create the stage in the Schladming valley. But the conditions were also perfect on the slopes of the 4-mountain ski area and there was 50 cm of fresh snow in the region just in time for the ski opening.
WINTER SEASON CAN COME
So that was it - the perfect start to the 2024/25 winter and ski season - it will take another three days to dismantle, after which normal operations will resume here in Schladming. In the coming season, winter sports enthusiasts will be able to use and enjoy even more slope and lift comfort.
