Decisive day for the big hot bath in Loipersdorf: Today, Friday, the transfer of ownership should be official. According to information from “Krone”, a bang is announced.
The history of the Loipersdorf thermal baths has already marked many landmark days: the discovery of the hot spring in 1972, the opening of the first Schaffelbad in 1978 and the modern thermal baths in 1981, the great fire in 1983, which was quickly followed by reconstruction. , extending some spectacular slides before eleven years.
Today Friday could be another such day: the shareholders gather for a meeting. The agenda is nothing less than the sale of the attraction, which employs 210 people and welcomes more than 500,000 visitors a year.
Municipalities want to sell their shares
The sales process started more than a year ago together with consultancy firm Deloitte and the result is now available. The thermal baths (which also include a congress center and Hotel Sonnenreich) are currently largely in public hands. Six municipalities from the region together hold the majority of the shares (Bad Loipersdorf, Fürstenfeld, Jennersdorf, Unterlamm, Großwilfersdorf and Söchau), hotels, the federal state of Styria, private individuals and banks are also involved.
Investments are necessary
Why the sale to investors, despite positive balance sheets and a fourth drilling for thermal water, which cost four million euros, only last year? “Loipersdorf has so much potential that the areas that have not yet been used also need to be further developed. You need a professional for that,” says general manager Philip Borckenstein-Quirini.
Kurhaus operators in the role of favourites
According to “Krone” information, the potential buyers are a surprise: Jörg Siegel and Daniel Freimuth, who have been running the Kurhaus in Bad Gleichenberg since last year (but they don’t have it!) and are also increasingly involved in the hotel industry through invest in their joint business. There was no comment on the “Krone” request.
One thing is clear: in addition to the purchase price, significant investments should also be made in the coming years and the sharply rising energy costs will also hit the thermal baths by force.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
