The new Aminona resort would be built next to the three existing white towers
Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The WWF Switzerland and the Swiss Fund for the Protection of Nature (FP) said Tuesday 8 December they have filed an appeal against the Aminona resort project near Crans-Montana in canton Valais, saying they “fear a fiasco for nature and the surrounding countryside, as well as for the region itself.”
The CHF350 million-plus plan, proposed by Aminona Luxury Resort and Village (ALRV)/Mirax, with support from the commune of Mollens, calls for 15 buildings to be constructed. Mollens has given a green light to the first phase of the project moving ahead, but environmental groups say neither the Russian developer Mirax nor the commune have given adequate assurances to a series of questions raised: the additional pressure on surrounding undeveloped areas, transport management, water supplies in this dryest part of Switzerland, energy management. For transport, WWF and the FP say the commune has provided only contradictory information, saying on the one hand public transport will be provided, and on the other, that the plans call for more than 500 parking spaces with no coordinated public transport.
Existing three towers will be joined by 5 more; view of Aminona from village of Mollens
Correction 16:00 Mollens, Valais, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Russian company Mirax has passed a first, major hurdle in getting a green light to build a CHF350-plus million complex in the small resort of Aminona, next to Crans-Montana in Valais. Mirax specializes in large development projects including hotels and resorts. The first part of the project is for a hotel which has four buildings (correction: we earlier noted that this includes several towers, but these are part of a second phase, not yet approved, Mirax told GenevaLunch).
The larger project proposed to the commune of Mollens, of which Aminona is part, will have a five-star hotel, 32 chalets, five towers and luxury services. The complete project is expected to have 2,500 beds.
