Trojena faces uncertainty over hosting the 2029 Asian Winter Games

Trojena, the centerpiece desert ski resort of Saudi Arabia’s NEOM megaproject, remains under intense scrutiny as officials and investors weigh whether it can still host the 2029 Asian Winter Games. The resort was conceived as a year-round alpine destination in a region with little natural snow, but escalating costs, engineering challenges, and ongoing delays have raised questions about whether the full master plan can be delivered in time. Priority, however, officials say, is to ensure the Games themselves are not jeopardized, with some suggesting essential facilities could be completed even if other, more ambitious elements are scaled back.

Trojena sits high in Tabuk Province, billed as the world’s first vertical ski village and part of NEOM’s broader aim to redefine what a desert landscape can offer. The development is designed to include long ski runs, lakeside real estate, hotels, and extensive infrastructure centered on artificial snow production. Work underway includes access roads, ski-slope infrastructure, and tunnel construction, with the project leveraging a large water reservoir to support snowmaking. The plan relies heavily on artificial snow, enabled by advanced...