Willis aims to rebuild lodge at his Idaho ski area

FAIRFIELD, Idaho (AP) — Hollywood star Bruce Willis plans to rebuild the lodge at a central Idaho ski resort he owns after the structure burned to the ground earlier this year.

The ski lodge at the base of the Soldier Mountain Ski Resort was destroyed in a March 30 fire. Investigators determined that the fire was accidental and most likely started in the building's electrical wiring system.

The rural region about 60 miles from the better-known resort cities of Sun Valley and Ketchum had feared for the future of the small ski area following the fire, so Willis's announcement came as welcome news. The resort employs about 50 people during the ski season.

The replacement lodge is supposed to have a grill, lounge, kitchen and dining area, as well as bathrooms, a feature the old building lacked. It will also have a ski rental shop, ski school and ticket booth. Willis's company hasn't released the cost of the new lodge.

The star of "Pulp Fiction" and the "Die Hard" series of action movies is a part-time resident of the region and in recent months has made waves with a number of ambitious plans for property here.

He proposed a private airfield in rural south-central Idaho that could see 150 jet landings per month within five years, a facility some locals fear could cannibalize traffic from the nearby Friedman Memorial Airport in Hailey.

A new lodge had already been planned for the Soldier Mountain resort, but officials there said the original aim was to hold off on expansion until skier visits had grown from the current 16,000 per year to about 30,000.

The fire has expedited plans, and U.S. Forest Service officials who manage land where the resort operates said they'll do everything they can to accommodate a speedy construction schedule.

Soldier Mountain's longterm plan still calls for an eventual second day lodge and second set of lifts when the skier count doubles current levels.