Alberta shuts down K-Country ski resort

Fortress Mountain will not be an option to skiers and snowboarders this winter after the Alberta governmentcancelled its lease agreement with the operator Friday.

The province says the Kananaskis ski resort, about 100 kilometres southwest of Calgary, failed to do the work required to ensure visitors can travel safely to the hill.

The road to the resort, closed in 2006 because of an unsafe bridge, will remain blocked until further notice.

The government said Fortress Mountain also failed to keep buildings in good repair, or to pay rent and taxes.

"This comes after two years of requesting, and you know, working them and finally ordering them to comply with its lease requirements," said Eilish Lemieux, spokeswoman for Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.

"They haven't met the lease requirements and we are cancelling the ski resort leases."

Fortress Mountain closed three years ago. A new owner stepped in but ran into several problems when he reopened the resort last January.

Owner Zrinko Amerl was unavailable for comment.