An artist’s impression from an October 2022 NEOM press release that highlighted plans for Trojena, its sprawling futuristic ski resort in the desert.
Source: Neom
Neom’s Desert Ski Resort Strains Saudi Prince’s $1.5 Trillion Plan
Trojena is designated to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games. But set in a region with little snowfall, it’s emerging as a great challenge to MBS’s flagship project
In 2022, Saudi Arabia announced one of its most ambitious endeavors to date: a sprawling ski resort in the heart of the dry Middle Eastern desert. It would feature ski slopes atop luxury hotel roofs, a lake hanging over a mountain cliff and a crystal skyscraper the size of the Eiffel Tower.
The project — Trojena — is part of the planned megacity of Neom and designated to host the Asian Winter Games in 2029. But set in a region with little snowfall, it’s becoming one of the most difficult tests yet of the kingdom’s ability to pull off Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s grand ambitions and meet commitments for influential international events.