It’s a hefty price for taxpayers to keep the Chateau Tongariro Hotel empty and in disrepair. 

The Department of Conservation, which owns the land, has confirmed through an Official Information Act request that it will cost $2.2 million this financial year. 

The heritage-listed site has been shut since February last year. 

Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton told Mike Hosking that there are issues around resolving the seismic reports, which put the hotel at high risk. 

He says there's a willingness from the Government to resolve them but a timeline is needed to do that. 

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