Now, plans to build a multi-million-dollar ski facility on a snowless northern Italian mountain may prove equally challenging. The bald mountain is the Monte San Primo, a gorgeous 1,682 meter (5,518 foot) promontory that accounts for much of the landscape view from the north end of Lake Como. The quaint cobblestone city of Bellagio, at its base, is known as the “pearl” of the lake for beauty that has lured A-list celebs (and wealthy Russians), who own the majority of lavish villas nearby. But ever since the city of Bellagio last year won the backing of the national and regional government to fund a ski area project that it hopes will lure winter tourists, there has been trouble in this mountain paradise. The plan, priced at 5 million euros (about $5.4 million), would see the construction of a large parking lot, toboggan runs and new lifts in an area that was a thriving ski destination 50 years ago, but closed a decade ago to winter sports as temperatures rose and snowfalls thinned.
Tourism dollars
While there has been considerable local support from those who think that reviving the mountain’s ski infrastructure will bring in vital tourism dollars, the plans have received an icy reception from environmental and sporting organizations. A consortium of 33 groups, including the World Wildlife Fund and the Italian Alpine Club, which calls itself “Let’s Save Monte Primo,” has been trying to halt the project and raise awareness about the mountain’s ecological fragility. Roberto Fumagalli, a spokesperson for the group, insists there are better ways to inject 5 million euros into the area that will still bring in tourism revenues. He says the group has been trying in vain to engage in talks with the project’s backers, including 31 local councils. “We don’t want to wait until we are out protesting the bulldozers,” Fumagalli told CNN. “It would be more productive to sit down now.”.
