Is Saudi Arabia’s plan to build desert ski resort proving too daunting?

Saudi Arabia’s plan to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games has hit a snag. As the kingdom falls behind on the construction of an ambitious ski resort in the middle of the desert, reports say another country could take over the tournament.

The Trojena ski resort, where the games are to be held, is part of Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion Neom mega-project . However, its construction is facing major challenges, including engineering and logistical.

Let’s take a closer look.

Trojena ski resort

Trojena is being built in a mountainous terrain, perched 2,600 metres above sea level near the border with Jordan. Billed as a “world-class centre for winter sports”, the planned ski resort is estimated to be worth $19 billion, Bloomberg reported, citing business intelligence platform MEED.

It has been touted as an engineering and architectural marvel, which will include 30km of ski runs with artificial snow from December to March, hotels, a spa, a golf course and hiking trails.

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There is little snowfall in the area where Trojena is being built. The ski resort will rely entirely on artificial snow, people in the know of the plans told Financial Times (FT).

The water for the snow will be pumped from 200km away in the Gulf of Aqaba. It will also supply water to the 140m-deep artificial lake.

Currently, tanker trucks are used to transport water to the site for construction needs and drinking purposes.

The project will also include a futuristic hospitality, retail and entertainment complex built into the mountainside, known as The Vault.

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Challenges slow Trojena’s construction

Trojena’s mountainous terrain poses a big construction challenge. To build The Vault complex, huge amounts of rock have to be blasted out. As per FT sources, about 3,000 tension cables have to be driven into the remaining rock walls before other construction work can begin.

However, contractors are able to install only one cable every day, which means the structure could take more than eight years to be completed.

The road to Trojena has only one carriageway in each direction, with a steep gradient and sharp turns making it tough to operate construction vehicles.

The artificial lake will need water to flow into it at full capacity for at least two years. This has not begun yet and the construction of Trojena’s main desalination plant is also yet to start.

Will 2029 Asian Winter Games move outside Saudi Arabia?

China and South Korea are reportedly being considered as alternative venues for the 2029 Asian Winter Games as Saudi Arabia runs behind schedule in building its ski resort.

As per the Bloomberg report, representatives from Riyadh have contacted China and held informal discussions. Meanwhile, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has reached out to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee about the possibility of hosting the tournament.

Multiple sources told Financial Times that Saudi officials are considering approaching South Korea or China to host the 2029 games and holding the tournament in the kingdom in 2033. This comes as the Trojena complex is unlikely to be finished on time without significantly hiking its budget.

The event is key to Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to turn the kingdom into a venue for international sports. Riyadh could eventually decide to scale back plans for the ski resort to meet deadlines, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. 

China would reportedly let the OCA take the call about shifting the 2029 Asian Winter Games out of Saudi Arabia. “China supports Saudi Arabia in hosting this edition of the Asian Winter Games. We are not aware of the development you mentioned,” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, as per the TV news channel.

Saudi officials and Neom have also not publicly accepted that the construction of the ski resort is running behind schedule. As per FT, Neom said the $1.5 trillion project ’s development “including Trojena, is progressing according to a phased plan that emphasises international standards, long-term sustainability and legacy outcomes. Work on Trojena, Neom’s year-round mountain destination, continues.”

A person briefed on the matter told the financial newspaper: “They are trying to do something that’s never been done before and they are committed to doing it right. A project like this is going to be a real challenge for everybody and they are working through that.

“It’s not up to Saudi Arabia if they are ready to host it, it’s up to the OCA. They will be the ones to shift it, based on Saudi Arabia not meeting its timelines.”

A source said to The Telegraph that Riyadh could still meet the deadline. “The difficulties have been magnified by the schedule imposed on the project,” the person said.

“The Saudis are really committed to building something there,” said another. “Maybe not on the scale that they have imagined in the first place.”

With inputs from agencies