General manager Sam Lee announced this week that while Snow Park's assets were still owned by the Lee family, without confirmed bookings from international teams wanting to use the facility, it could not commit to delivering the full operation.
''This is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make. With the level of functioning assets, I know we cannot provide the world-class terrain we have become known for,'' Mr Lee said.
''Snow Park as we've all known it - with the massive half pipe which costs about $300,000 to build and the slopestyle - we can't commit to that without acquiring a new groomer and there's some pretty massive repairs to be done after the last tenure.''
The Lees, who established Snow Park in 2002, took over the business again on April 1 after Robin and Sean Synnott's tenure expired. It had been a ''big ask'' to prepare for the 2013 season in such a short space of time, and the decision not to open was made for the long-term success of the business, Mr Lee said.
''As a family, we are passionate about the industry and Snow Park, but we have to be socially and fiscally responsible to our customers and our partners.''
Uncertainty now surrounds the future of some of the high-profile competitions usually held at Snow Park, including the Burton Open, and two slopestyle events at this year's Winter Games.
While it was possible Snow Park could operate on an ''ad-hoc basis'' this season, potentially as a ''much more scaled-back'' club skifield-type facility, Mr Lee had advised event organisers to find other venues.
Winter Games chief executive Arthur Klap said organisers of this year's event were in close contact with Mr Lee and Snow Sports New Zealand (SSNZ) and were ''doing our bit to ensure that some of the things that Sam wants to deliver, both on the training and the competition side, will still happen.
''We have backup plans ... but at this stage Snow Park is still an option,'' Mr Klap said.
''It's up to all the different partners to help Snow Park to continue to operate.''
SSNZ chief executive Marty Toomey said the Snow Park announcement presented a ''challenging start to the season'', but it was too early to measure its effects.
''It will put pressure on other resorts in the area to absorb those people, or worst-case scenario, they don't come down.''
SSNZ's athletes might have to spend more time training in North America as a result, he said. Lake Wanaka Tourism general manager James Helmore hoped the park's closure was simply just going to be a ''one-season blip''.
Cardrona Alpine Resort sales and marketing manager Nadia Ellis said ''our hope is that events will stay at Snow Park''.
