PROSPECT STOORN
Stoorn is an innovative tourist attraction
which will form a centre for commercial tourism and adventure activities,
with a focus on forest and wildlife. Stoorn will be home to a restaurant,
exhibition venues, a concert hall, modern conference facilities and
more. This attention-getting wooden construction offers the unique opportunity
of becoming a structure of significant national symbolic value in the
future.
The project has been the subject of great interest from both the tourism
industry and international media. The inspiration for the project came
from tourism entrepreneur Thorbjörn Holmlund, founder and owner
of Svansele Vildmarkscenter AB, whose wealth of experience in creating
successful eco-tourism ventures is an important reason as to why the
project has generated such enormous interest. Svansele Vildmarkscenter
AB was established in 2001 and operates as a successful business, welcoming
30,000 visitors every year. Its success gave rise to the idea of building
a tourism facility in the shape of a large moose on top of a mountain
with a good view over the inland forests and lakes.
The site atop Vithatten Mountain (standing 510 metres above sea level)
on the boarder between Norrbotten and Västerbotten counties has
been earmarked as the chosen site because of the view it provides and
its proximity to roads through this wilderness and based on other tactical
and strategic considerations. On a clear day, both the mountain range
and the sea are visible from atop the moose’s antlers. Located
alongside Route 365, the site affords excellent access for tourist bus
services. There are also four different airports located within a reasonable
distance.
The construction will take the form of a moose and will stand at a
height of 35 metres at its saddle, and 45 metres to the tope of its
antlers. The moose will be built of glulam, with a foundation of concrete
and legs and a framework made of steel. The moose will bite into a pine
tree erected alongside it. The trunk of the pine has a lift to the moose’s
head, which visitors will enter through its muzzle. The moose’s
antlers will serve as an open-air dining area and lookout point.
There are as yet no plans to build accommodation facilities within
Stoorn, with surrounding facilities and hotels to be used to house visitors.
The facility will form a base for various commercial tourism and adventure
activities with a focus on the forest and wildlife.
Stoorn will become a recognised national attraction which will generate
interest in and respect for the forest, lakes, wetlands, flora and fauna.
The unique wooden structure will draw attention to Swedish woodworking
techniques and become a great symbol for the art of wooden construction.
The Stoorn project has been established and all necessary permits have
been granted by the relevant municipal governments and county administrative
boards.
Business idea Back
Stoorn’s great national and international appeal will make it
a centre for experience tourism with a focus on the forest and wildlife.
The facility will increase the stream of visitors to the woodlands of
far-northern Sweden and be of such a high standard so as to be profitable
in its commercial aspect. Stoorn will also provide a boost for the forestry
and woodworking industries by providing a national point of reference
with a great symbolic value in a living, natural environment where both
forestry and eco-tourism have their place.
The market Back
Professional market analyses have been carried out in three stages and
have focused on the Northern Norwegian, German, British, French and
Dutch markets. The results of all of these surveys are in agreement
in their conviction that Stoorn will affect the flow of visitors to
northern Sweden, provided that it is operated with professional management
and marketing. The majority of those surveyed were interested in adding
Stoorn to their destinations and expressed that a dynamic and spectacular
attraction has long been missing in the area. Regional tourism will
dominate the first three years of operation, however. Cooperative partnerships
have been established with Destination Skellefteå AB and Upplevelser
i Norr AB. We expect that VisitSweden will market Stoorn aggressively
within Europe.
Investment budget
Back
The calculated construction cost for Stoorn is SEK 60 million, including
inventory and technical equipment to equip the conference facilities
and for the purchase of the land. The concert hall and conference facilities
are intended to be of a high standard, so that their appeal and the
professional status of the facility will be maintained. The purchase
of land for road connections is not included in the building costs,
whereas the cost for laying roads and walkways as well as car parks
is included.
Financial forms Stiftelse
Back
Donations are channelled into a specially formed foundation in which
all contributors are counted as member donors. The foundation will be
managed by a board or administrator elected by its members. A foundation
is the best organisational form because it ensures a long-term approach.
Primary donors are northern Swedish base industries and regional businesses.
Suggestions for a memorandum of association and certificates of foundation
can be either ordered or downloaded from the project’s website
under the Investors link. For more detailed information, please contact
Håkan Widmark:
Ph. + 46 (0)70 511 18 91.
Financial forms Operating company Storälgen
AB Back
Commercial and private investments can be made through Storälgen
AB as a new share issue. Share capital in the operating company will
reach at least SEK 4,000,000, of which Thorbjörn Holmlund will
contribute at least SEK 1,000,000. The shares will be divided into A
and B shares, with B shares to have a voting power of 1/10. A shares
will purchased by Thorbjörn Holmlund, with B shares will be offered
to the general public and other interested parties. B shares can be
purchased in blocks of 10 shares (SEK 100/share and for a minimum of
SEK 1,000).
Payment for shares in Storälgen AB’s new share issue are
to be deposited in a client account with the law firm Advokatbyrån
Kaiding in Skellefteå. Payments are to be marked ‘Storälgen
AB’ and paid via bankgiro to account number 204-0467 or via postgiro
to account number 48 37 04–3. The money will be drawn from the
account and the new share issue will first be registered when it has
been established that ownership and construction of the project has
been financed.
One of the interested parties, Svansele Vildmarkscenter AB, will cover
all costs throughout the duration of the project until the record day
stated below.
Visitor projections Back
Investments in the operating company in the form of equipment needed
for running the operation is expected to reach SEK 900,000. Using records
from Svansele Vildmarkscenter as a basis, an operating plan has been
drawn up based on the following volume of visitors per year after three
years:
| Visitor projections |
Antal entreavgifter |
Antal matportioner
|
Individual visitors |
10 500 |
3 500 |
Foreign tour bus groups |
13 500 |
13 500 |
Swedish tour bus groups |
4 000 |
2 000 |
Meetings, conferences, events |
2 500 |
2 500 |
Private parties |
700 |
700 |
 |
Total |
31 200 |
22 200 |
|
No. of exhibitions |
12 |
|
Back
| Budget |
|
Budgeted total income |
8 647 500 kr |
Budgeted total expenditure |
8 032 500 kr |
|
Profit |
615 000 kr |
|
Funds have been allocated within the operating company to cover operating
losses for the first years.
|
