Fichtelberg ski lift planned - investor wants a spirit of optimism

But how much does the FSB cost anyway? Gläß has submitted a bid with his LGO. When asked how much money he had offered, he smiled: "Far too much." There is no co-investor, he said. "Many people think it's a big deal. But first of all, it's a big investment. I hope it all works out wisely."

He is often asked why he is still investing in a mid-mountain ski resort at all. He referred to his decades-long connection with winter sports and the region. He is a passionate skier himself and his father Siegfried was one of the initiators of the Kammloipe Erzgebirge in the early 1990s. Gläß made his fortune with a software company in Vogtland.

The exact value of FSB is now to be determined by an expert opinion. The purchase price must not be lower. According to Mayor Jens Benedict (non-party), the negotiations should take three to four months. The city council will then have another final vote on the sale.

Gläß also wants to buy Fichtelberghaus

However, another decision is already due in December - but at district level. Then it will be about the sale of the Fichtelberghaus on the summit. Here, too, investments are urgently needed, which the Erzgebirgskreis does not see itself in a position to make. It therefore launched a bidding process. There were more than 30 interested parties, the district administration office said on request. Further details, such as the price range, were not disclosed. The district council will decide who will be awarded the contract in December. One of the interested parties is Rainer Gläß's LGO.

The entrepreneurial family's major commitment to the Fichtelberg is not without controversy. While some speak of a stroke of luck, others have clear reservations about becoming so dependent on a private investor. Mayor Benedict spoke of a leap of faith for the investor. "I see this as an opportunity." City councillor and ski jumping legend Jens Weißflog warned against delaying the process unnecessarily. After all, the building permit for the new lift on the Himmelsleiter is time-limited and expires at the end of next year.

Left: Fichtelberg does not belong in private hands

Criticism comes from the Left. "When will the Fichtelberg be renamed Gläßberg?" asked Rico Gebhardt, member of the state parliament. "I think it's irresponsible to become dependent on a single family." He sees the planned sale of the entire Fichtelberg plateau by the district as worse than the sale of FSB. Gebhardt: "The highest mountain in the Free State of Saxony does not belong in private hands, but in the ownership of the Free State of Saxony!"

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