Sierra Nevada Strategic Plan - 9 New Lifts, Alternatives To Improve Traffic & Increase Hotel Capacity

The ski and mountain resort of Sierra Nevada has presented today the Strategic Plan until 2030 that foresees investments for the renovation of eight ski lifts on the slopes (six replacements and two new ones, all within the current skiable perimeter), programs the incorporation of hotel beds in Pradollano and establishes an urban mechanical environment as well as alternatives to improve traffic and mobility in the urbanization.

Since it was launched in 2019, the plan has already led to the installation of two new chairlifts (Emile Allais and Alhambra for this season), the renovation of almost the entire old system of produced snow and the digitization of access to slopes and parking.

The Minister of Development, Articulation of the Territory and Housing, and president of Cetursa Sierra Nevada, pointed out that the strategic document has been prepared by the best companies in the sector at an international level, "that have given us better proposals for Sierra Nevada, proposing the use of the snow area in accordance with the territorial limits of Cetursa's property and concession and with the regulations that affect the natural space in which it is located”.

ski lifts

The CEO of Cetursa Sierra Nevada, Jesús Ibáñez, explained that the plan contemplates the installation of the nine mechanical means until 2030. Two of them, with guaranteed financing of 20 million euros, will be released next season. It involves the renovation of the old Al Ándalus cable car, which connects the Pradollano urbanization and the Borreguiles ski area, and the newly created double El Puente ski lift, which, although aimed at creating a training and competition area for the Andalusian quarry, will ease congestion in the Loma Dílar area and facilitate customer access, among others, to the 'black' slopes of Sierra Nevada.

In successive seasons, the document provides for the replacement of four old 4-seater ski lifts with new four six-seater chairlifts, with greater capacity and speed. These are the Veleta, Monachil, Jara and Laguna chairlifts, which will bring about a radical change in medium and high level skiing in Sierra Nevada, with a better distribution of users in the best areas of the Sierra Nevada ski area.

Cetursa Sierra Nevada activates the study for three ski lifts whose implementation would culminate the perimeter circulation of skiers and would increase ski alternatives: the extension of the Virgen de las Nieves chairlift and the replacement of the Dílar chairlift by a point-to-point lift (lower and upper station, but without bollards on the route) to enter and exit the Lagoon.

Instead of the current Parador urban chairlift, the plan promotes a new ski lift in Pradollano, which would connect the base of the cable cars, located in the lower part of the urbanization, with the base of the current Virgen de las Nieves chairlift, in the upper part.

The program includes -with guaranteed investment- the renovation of the snow production center, the replacement of the last 20 old cannons and the renovation of pipes. The remodeling of the Nevasol restaurant and the Montebajo and Laguna Kiosks, and the acquisition of new piste machines and snowmobiles would complete the snow plan.

Sustainability

The Strategic Plan lists plant restoration works derived from unified environmental authorizations for actions carried out in the snow area. It also proposes the installation of solar farms on the plot next to the High Performance Center and in the Las Sabinas car park.

On the other hand, the renewal of infrastructures is considered essential to improve the supply of the Ski Resort, especially the existing pipes that carry out the work of channeling water to the Pradollano storage tanks.

With the same level of relevance, the document indicates the Wastewater Treatment Plant (EDAR), with the installation of devices and tertiary treatments that allow the correct treatment of the water for its return to the channel with maximum safety and health.

Tourist plan and mobility

One of the great commitments of the Sierra Nevada Strategic Plan until 2030 is the tourism and accommodation program -prepared by Deloitte-, through which Cetursa Sierra Nevada proposes the real estate development of its current buildings and the urban plots of which it owns , “focused 100%” on tourist accommodation, commercial use and the creation of covered car parks.

Thus, the creation of a 4-star hotel is promoted through the architectural connection and reform of the current Telecabina hotel and the Cetursa offices. In a similar action, the AH Trevenque would join the Montebajo sports club to obtain more rooms and transform the club into a spa-resort that allows serving not only guests but also the general public.

In the Mirlo Blanco area, the plan provides for the renovation of the complex of activities for non-skiers with the renovation of the old facilities and the addition of our attractions for children and families, as well as the development of accommodation, restaurants and leisure in the adjoining Sulayr parcel in order to configure an attractive and comprehensive offer of Apresski.

In the Fuente Alta forest, the plan aims to create a glamping area (with capacity for 50 places) , a new way of camping that blends the connection with nature of traditional camping with the comforts of a hotel room.

All in all, the most relevant action in the urban area is the development of UE1, in the vicinity of the Los Peñones car park. The plan designs the development of tourist accommodation in that area of ​​the upper part of Pradollano (hotels, aparthotels and youth hostels with a capacity for 2,450 beds). The new buildings will not exceed 3 floors and will be separated by squares, gardens and facilities. An underground car park, with capacity for 2,500 cars, would replace the current one, next to the lower station of the Virgen de las Nieves chairlift.

As reflected in the section on ski lifts, the mobility plans within Pradollano will revolve around the urban ski lift that articulates user movement between the upper and lower parts of the urbanization. The studies will determine what type of ski lift will be the most suitable for connecting the upper and lower area of ​​the urbanization with two intermediate stops in the urbanization.

Simultaneously, the company CPS Infraestructuras Movilidad y Medio Ambiente, in coordination with the Monachil City Council and the consultancy Ciudad Accesible, are analyzing the different alternatives to improve road traffic in the urbanization in order to avoid mobility and parking problems during periods of maximum influx (especially when they coincide with heavy snowfall).

Economic impact

The economic impact study prepared by Economic Analysts establishes that with the execution of the bulk of the measures of the strategic plan, the influence of Sierra Nevada on the GDP of the province of Granada, currently at 2.2 percent, would go to 2.5 .

Sierra Nevada generates 7,170 direct and indirect jobs annually (2.1 percent of the province of Granada), to which 1,200 more would be added with the development of the plan.

The study also indicates that for every euro spent at the Cetursa Sierra Nevada facilities, the user spends another 8.7 on different services provided by the station companies.