02 October 2013, 11:29
Vladimir Potanin: Olympic status brings continuous losses to "Rosa Khutor" Alpine Resort
Till present, Olympic status of the constructed "Rosa Khutor" Alpine Resort brings only losses. This was stated by Vladimir Potanin, the head of the holding company "Interros". According to the businessman's statement, the authorities are not in a hurry to help investors of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Vladimir Potanin has started to build the "Rosa Khutor" Alpine Resort in 2003, long prior to the victory of the Sochi Olympic bid.
After Sochi was elected to host the Winter Olympic Games in 2014, the construction cost estimates have increased dramatically because of tightened requirements for security, sports facilities and adaptation of the project for Paralympic Games.
The head of the holding company "Interros" believes that if the resort were immediately put into operation after its commissioning in 2011, it would gradually begin to pay off. "However, in recent three years, 'Rosa Khutor' is almost always standing idle. The facility faces the requirements of enhanced security because of the constant visits of top-rank officials of the Russian government and the IOC," complained Vladimir Potanin in his interview to the "Vedomosti" on September 16.
According to the businessman's statement, at present, he has invested in the resort the amount of 300 million US dollars of his personal funds. Vladimir Potanin has noted that he is ready to sell the "Rosa Khutor" Alpine Resort to return at least a part of the invested amount and stop losing money on the project.
