Another hitch for Neom: Asian Winter Games at risk. Saudi Arabia: two alternatives ready

The mountain in the desert is in danger of not being ready in time. Four years on from the awarding of the Asian Winter Games 2029 to Neom - the $500 billion urban and industrial mega-project launched by Saudi Arabia in 2017 as a central part of Vision 2030, Mohammed bin Salman's plan to diversify the economy and reduce dependence on oil - Riyad has begun internal talks on a possible alternative solution: transferring the 2029 edition to a country with already well-established facilities - South Korea or China - and postponing the Saudi Arabian event to the following four years. The hypothesis, recounted by several sources in the Financial Times, paints a picture of a complex construction site: Trojena, the 'futuristic' ski resort in the north-west of the kingdom, accumulates engineering, logistical and budgetary obstacles. In the meantime, the Olympic Council of Asia (Oca) has formally contacted the South Korean Olympic Committee to sound out its readiness to take over.

Trojena, at an altitude of about 2600 metres in the Neom area, promises 30 kilometres of slopes with artificial snow from December to March, high-end hotels, and a 140-metre-deep artificial lake that will supply snow and services. But key steps are lagging behind: the construction of the desalination plant in Sharma that is to supply the water has not yet started, while the reservoir requires three dams and a long, steep pipeline from the Gulf of Aqaba. In 2024, Italy's Webuild signed a $4.7 billion contract to build the lake and related works, but the schedule is under pressure.

The obstacles do not stop at water. "The Vault", the large reception and retail complex carved into the rock, is progressing more slowly than expected. The area requires drilling and wall tie-rods in huge numbers, and the steeply sloping access routes slow down the construction vehicles. The 'accelerated' timetable does not sit well with these constraints, some of the technicians involved report. Neom, for its part, reiterates that the development 'is proceeding according to a phased plan', with emphasis on international standards and long-term sustainability.

On the sports-political side, the Olympic Council of Asia met with the leadership of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee in July and, following this, sent a written request on South Korea's readiness to host the 2029 Games. This is confirmation that the continental body is considering options, even though the decision of whether to move is up to the Goose. In parallel, Beijing has made it known that it 'supports Saudi Arabia' as the venue for the 2029 edition, although without commenting on internal files in Riyadh. The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism clarified that it had not 'initiated discussions with the Saudi government', a position consistent with the contact having come from the Goose and not Saudi Arabia.

The critical point is the technical sequence: the desalinated water has to reach the Trojena altitude (over 2.6 km altitude difference), fill a 2.8 km long lake, and support a totally artificial snowmaking in an arid environment. According to the Financial Times, with a 1-metre diameter pipeline, continuous full flows would be needed for years just to bring the basin up to level. Winter 2029 imposes strict deadlines for slopes, facilities, accommodation and logistics, and any delay on the 'mother work' (water and energy) has cascading repercussions.