Ski area auctioned on the internet

The ski resort of Winterhorn in central Switzerland appears to have been saved from bankruptcy after it was auctioned on an internet site.

The asking price for the resort, including ski lifts, a restaurant and après-ski area, was SFr250,000 ($232,000).

Claus Dangel, director of the Winterhorn resort, confirmed to the Swiss News Agency on Saturday that an investor had been found. The person is said to be Swiss, but no other details will be given until the contract is signed, Dangel was quoted as saying.

The resort, which has around SFr150,000 debts and did not open for business last ski season, was offered on the auction platform ricardo.ch on Friday afternoon.

It apparently attracted 55,000 clicks, with interest not only coming from Switzerland, but also from Germany and Russia.

Dangel said that the contract could be signed in the next few weeks and added that he hoped that Winterhorn would be open again for the next season.

swissinfo.ch and agencies