After exceeding expectations this winter, Marble Mountain turns focus to summer cruise ship season

While winter is winding down, Marble Mountain is ramping up.

The provincial government-owned ski resort near Corner Brook will soon start making the transformation into a year-round attraction.

"It was a great year for us. We're well over 60 days on the season right now, we've been doing some night riding. We've been having a lot of fun on the mountain," general manager Richard Wells saidThursday.

"[We've had] increased numbers. Right from the start we've had well over our expected numbers of season pass holders. We're definitely going to exceed our skier expectations this season."

Wells said the Marble staff are targeting April 15 as the final weekend of the ski season but it could lastinto May.

After that, the whole operation will shift into summer mode.

"We're extremely excited. Last year, I guess, was our first year in Marble Mountain history, in my opinion, that we had not shut the doors," Well said.

"This season, we're actually going heavily after the 33 cruise ships that are coming into port for Corner Brook."

Visitors can expect to ride the Lightning Express the mountain's chair lift up and down the mountain this summer.

There will also be a newly built viewing platform at the peak, givingvisitors a view of the Bay of Islands below.

The resort will alsostill offer some its popular attractions such as mountain bike trails, Wells said, and there will be an expansion this year.

"Lots ofevents during the summer music and conferences. The Marble Villa as well has been a great profit run for us," said Wells.

"The team that we've got right now, it's a lot of fun. As a local, as a die-hard skier, I know what Marble can be. It's time for us to use it for what it should be and we're putting in every effort that we can."

Wells said he's confident the resort is on the right track to being profitable.

The province has tried to offload the resort in the past, starting in 2018 with the issuing of requestfor proposals that endedin 2021 without a deal after just three submissions were received.

The Greene report, published in May 2021, also suggested selling off the asset.

"This is not the type of business that government should operate," stated the report, adding the resort also"requires expertise the government does not have."

The resort is subsidized by the province with about $1 million annually.

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