As of: January 30, 2024, 5:15 p.m
By: Katharina Bromberger
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On the construction site: (from left) the new Alpenhof tenant Mohammad Akram and casino director Peter Eursch.
© PHOTOPRESS THOMAS SEHR
Mohammad Akram takes over the Alpenhof in Garmisch's pedestrian zone and also serves the guests of the casino.
That's for sure.
It remains unclear when it will start.
The renovation is proving difficult.
And it will be expensive for the community.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen – He masters roast pork.
Mohammad Akram emphasizes this several times.
Because he doesn't want to scare anyone.
As a chef on the Zugspitze, he even impressed Bavarian nobles.
“So no one needs to be afraid.” That the Alpenhof in the heart of Garmisch might only serve oriental food in the future – which is what Akram is known for.
The native Pakistani promises that there will also be Bavarian dishes.
But: “Garmisch-Partenkirchen is more than roast pork.” It is also Mediterranean.
Ayurvedic.
He will convince guests of this in the future at Akram's Alpenhof, as the traditional restaurant will be called.
The 60-year-old leases the business, which includes the catering in the casino.
This has been talked about locally for a long time.
Akram is taking over, it was said.
Akram isn't taking over after all, it was also said after the restaurant in the pedestrian zone still hadn't opened after months.
Peter Eursch is now clearing up such rumors.
“This jumping up and down never happened,” says the casino director.
“It was always clear to us: Akram would do it.” There were never any doubts, confirms the restaurateur.
We got along well from the start.
The lease is supposed to run for ten years.
Akram's launch depends only on the construction work.
Casino Garmisch-Partenkirchen is also supplied
The Alpenhof has been closed since November 2022.
After the tenant couple Claudia and Robert Leipold withdrew, who did not extend the contract for private reasons - Eursch speaks of a "very good collaboration over 20 years" - conversion and renovation began.
Since then, casino guests have been given small snacks and nothing more.
Mohammad Akram has made a name for himself with his cuisine.
© PHOTOPRESS THOMAS SEHR
Surprises in an existing building – we know it.
Nothing goes exactly as planned.
This is one of the reasons why the work is taking longer than planned.
The future kitchen and restaurant currently only exist in a raw state.
Eursch and Verena Ober, press spokeswoman for the state lottery and casino administration, appear relaxed.
“The preparatory work was enormous,” says Ober.
“And they're done.” Now that the new electrical system is in place and everything has been brought up to speed in terms of energy (see box), those involved are cautiously optimistic about the future.
For the first time they dare to make a forecast.
If everything goes perfectly, Ober is hoping for a “reopening in all its glory” in April.
She also hopes that the investments for her house and thus for the Free State will remain under one million euros.
“Some things are still to come.
Let’s see if we can do it.” The community doesn’t expect it.
The building complex belongs to the market.
She has been leasing it to the casino since 1984; it was built especially for her.
This guarantees secure rental income, and the municipality also receives 15 percent of the gross gaming revenue - according to Ober, around two million euros for 2023. But the municipality also spends a lot on this.
Budget consultations currently discontinued
In the Main and Finance Committee, the members looked more closely at Section 8, subsection 8638 of the 2024 financial budget. Even though the municipality has stopped budget discussions for the moment in view of the many uncertainties (we reported), the statements on this point remain current.
1.05 million euros have been earmarked for the renovation of the Am Kurpark 10 building complex this year; the market spent 70,000 euros last year.
630,000 euros less than planned.
“The construction work is going slowly,” said building authority manager Jörg Hahn in the committee, expenses were postponed to 2024, which is why he increased the amount accordingly.
Among other things, Hahn is concerned with fire protection, specifically: fire damper components contaminated with asbestos.
Many of them have already been replaced, but not all.
Apparently it is difficult to find a company to do this.
“Nobody likes to do that and nobody does it voluntarily,” said Hahn.
The experts work with protective equipment; the work is complex.
It is impossible to do it during ongoing operations.
So what to do?
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There is no obligation to replace all fire dampers at once, explains town hall spokeswoman Silvia Küchen-Schropp after consultation with the building authority.
It is therefore crucial to check these in accordance with the regulations.
That will be done, but for now it will stay that way.
The components do not appear to pose any risk to health.
However, the affected flaps will be replaced “promptly”, in small construction phases or as part of a larger renovation, it is not yet clear.
So the next construction site is definitely coming.