Saudi Arabia’s Winter Dream on Thin Ice: Is the 2029 Asian Winter Games at Risk?
Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plan to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games at its futuristic desert resort, Trojena, is facing significant setbacks. Reports from Bloomberg and other news outlets indicate that construction on the flagship NEOM project is experiencing delays and mounting financial pressure. This has prompted the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to reach out to other potential hosts, including China and South Korea.
Trojena's Ambitious Vision and Mounting Challenges
The decision to award the games to Saudi Arabia in 2022 was based on renderings of a futuristic alpine village, a massive artificial lake, and slopes that would rely on artificial snow to function from December to March. However, with less than four years until the opening ceremony, the reality of building a winter sports mecca in a desert nation is proving to be a challenge. The NEOM project, which includes Trojena and The Line, has struggled to meet deadlines, and funding has reportedly dried up.
The project faces significant engineering hurdles, including the construction of a massive artificial lake intended to feed the snowmaking efforts. The structural challenges of holding 2.7 million cubic meters of water are currently beyond existing engineering capabilities.
Contingency Plans and the Future of the Games
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While Saudi officials have not publicly acknowledged the delays, informal discussions have been held with Chinese officials about China hosting the 2029 event, with Saudi Arabia potentially hosting in 2033. China, which hosted the Asian Winter Games in Harbin this February, has signaled its support but has not been formally approached. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee has also confirmed that the OCA has reached out to its president to see if South Korea would be willing to step in as host.
The uncertainty surrounding the games leaves athletes in limbo and raises questions about the feasibility of such a large-scale project in an arid environment. Critics have called the project a reckless waste of resources, citing the need to rely heavily on artificial snow in a region with little natural snowfall. For the environment, a decision sooner rather than later would be beneficial before more resources and energy are poured into turning a desert into a winter paradise.
