Dismantling notice

Another setback for the lake stage on Lake Wolfgangsee

(Bild: Hörmandinger Marion/Marion Hörmandinger)

Bad news for the creators of a new institution in St. Wolfgang in the Salzkammergut: a Salzburg authority has sent a notice that the stage on Lake Wolfgangsee must be dismantled. The future of the venue is uncertain. 

The year 2024 was dominated by the Capital of Culture Bad Ischl, which stood as the banner city for an entire region. However, an initiative on Lake Wolfgang, where the three municipalities of St. Wolfgang, Strobl and St. Gilgen, the tourism associations and the provinces of Salzburg and Upper Austria pulled together for the new lake stage, made even more of a splash during this time.

Salzburg and Upper Austria each contributed 500,000 euros
The play "Wolf - das Mystical" by Franzobel, which was sold out from the dress rehearsal to the final performance, generated enthusiasm and whetted the appetite for more. However, the financing quickly caused problems. Three municipalities each assumed liability for 450,000 euros, while Salzburg and Upper Austria each contributed a further 500,000 euros. The future therefore seemed secure, and the project should have been refinanced within five years.

Sold out from the dress rehearsal to the final performance: Wolf - the Mystical on the Seebühne St. Wolfgang.

(Bild: Hörmandinger Marion/Marion Hörmandinger)

District authority sends notice to dismantle
Now, however, the makers of the Seebühne are facing the next problem: because St. Wolfgang is largely located in Upper Austria, but the venue including the shore is in the province of Salzburg, the Salzburg-Umgebung district authority sent a notice of dismantling after the event. According to district governor Karin Gföllner, the official letter was issued because the temporary permits for the stage had expired.

Dismantling the multi-million euro facility would be the death knell for the entire project, the people at Lake Wolfgang are certain and now want to oppose it.

The stage is a project with many participants and is primarily intended to strengthen the early and late season in the Salzkammergut.

Franz Eisl, Bürgermeister von St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut

St. Wolfgang's mayor Franz Eisl wants to negotiate with the authorities in the coming days. "For the time being, we have lodged an appeal against the nature conservation decision. There is a good basis for discussion and we hope that we can find a solution together," says the ÖVP politician and adds: "It is a shame that the project is being labeled as a deficit despite its great success. The opposite is the case."