According to the Financial Times, the development of Trojena—the futuristic ski resort in the northwest of Saudi Arabia—is reportedly facing engineering, logistical, and, surpri-singly, economic obstacles. The clearest sign of this situation con-cerns doubts about the feasibility of hosting the 2029 Asian Winter Games in the Arabian mountains. Sources close to the initiative indica-te that Saudi Arabia has begun inter-nal discussions regarding a possible alternative solution. One possibility under consideration is transferring the 2029 edition to South Korea or China.
Trojena is part of an even more impressive megaproject: Neom, a vast new urban and industrial hub worth $500 billion, launched eight years ago as a key component of Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to “diversify the economy and reduce dependence on oil” in the country. However, construction is progressing at a slower pace than expected, and engineering, logistical, and, again surprisingly, budgetary hurdles conti-nue to mount. According to the Financial Times, the development of Trojena—the futuristic ski resort in the northwest of Saudi Arabia—is reportedly facing engineering, logistical, and, surpri-singly, economic obstacles. The clearest sign of this situation con-cerns doubts about the feasibility of hosting the 2029 Asian Winter Games in the Arabian mountains. Sources close to the initiative indica-te that Saudi Arabia has begun inter-nal discussions regarding a possible alternative solution. One possibility under consideration is transferring the 2029 edition to South Korea or China.
Trojena is part of an even more impressive megaproject: Neom, a vast new urban and industrial hub worth $500 billion, launched eight years ago as a key component of Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to “diversify the economy and reduce dependence on oil” in the country. However, construction is progressing at a slower pace than expected, and engineering, logistical, and, again surprisingly, budgetary hurdles continue to mount.
The vision for Trojena is to create a mountain oasis at an elevation of 2,600 meters offering year-round activities and attractions, taking advantage of the area’s high altitudes to ensure cooler summer temperatures and the possibility of winter sports (30 kilometers of snow-covered slopes using artificial snow).
According to the Financial Times, the entire construction is experiencing severe delays and cost overruns that could compromise the project’s overall timeline. A major issue is that the desalination plant in Sharma, intended to supply water to be pumped uphill—over a nearly 3,000-meter elevation gain—to feed a vast artificial lake 140 meters deep, has not yet begun construction. This reservoir is expected to be, if not the only, the primary source of snowmaking in this very arid environment. There are also some setbacks at the sites working on installing the necessary power transmission systems. Nevertheless, Saudi authorities remain confident that the project will stay on schedule and that all issues will be resolved.
