Saudi Arabia may be forced to move the 2029 Asian Winter Games after severe delays in building ski slopes in the desert.  

The games were meant to be held at Tojena, a new resort that is part of the kingdom’s $500 billion plan to build the futuristic city of Neom. 

Despite ambitious plans, engineering difficulties and escalating expenses suggest that the resort’s completion may not align with the proposed timeline. Furthermore, the project is facing criticism over human rights violations.

The Financial Times has revealed that South Korea and China are potential alternative locations, as indicated by a Western diplomat and a former employee of Neom.

Trojena is expected to offer 30km of ski runs, including the 400m slope needed for the Asian Games, made from artificial snow. 

Water for the snow is planned to come from the Gulf of Aqaba, 200km away. The resort was said to be looking to welcome 700,000 visitors by 20230. 

A 140-meter-deep lake intended for water storage was supposed to be completed this month. However, due to delays in construction, tankers are currently required to supply drinking water.

The resort also promises the ‘Slope Residences’, luxurious mansions which will overlook the lake and its surroundings.

Saudi Arabia initiated its grand vision to construct the ski resort in time for the Asian Winter Games, but significant delays may compel a relocation of the 2029 Asian Winter Games.

Engineering problems and increased costs imply the resort’s timely readiness is doubtful, and the project also faces accusations of human rights breaches.

Trojena is expected to offer 30km of ski runs, including the 400m slope needed for the Asian Games, made from artificial snow

Riyadh is considering delaying the games until 2034, although insiders informed The Telegraph that meeting the original deadline was still a possibility.

A source is said to have commented: ‘The difficulties have been magnified by the schedule imposed on the project,’ one source said.

‘The Saudis are really committed to building something there,’ said another. ‘Maybe not on the scale that they have imagined in the first place.’

Delays are partly due to the mountainous site, 2,600m above sea level near the Jordan border.  

The road to the resort has one lane each way with sharp turns and steep slopes that make it hard for construction vehicles to use. 

Neom was presented by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a ‘civilisational revolution.’

However, it has come under intense scrutiny for how expensive it is meant to be, its goals, which some critics say are too ambitious, and the fact that tens of thousands of people have been asked to move to make way for construction. 

Concerns were particularly raised for the Huwaitat tribe, an indigenous community who were forced to leave the only land they had known. The kingdom received a huge backlash when it killed a tribal leader who had refused to move. 

The games were meant to be held at Tojena, a new resort that is part of the kingdom’s $500 billion plan to build the futuristic city of Neom.

Concerns were particularly raised for the Huwaitat tribe, an indigenous community who were forced to leave the only land they had known

WWE wrestler Cody Rhodes performing at the company’s Night of Champions event in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has paid WWE a staggering $500 million for ten years to host two shows a year

The Crown Prince also introduced the Line, a 170km-long city just 200m wide. 

He presented it as a futuristic project that would house 1.5 million people and ‘shine a light on alternative ways to live’ – although critics have raised huge concerns over the environmental impact of such a huge development. 

Gushing about the Trojena, he said it ‘will redefine mountain tourism for the world by creating a place based on the principles of ecotourism, highlighting our efforts to preserve nature and enhance the community’s quality of life, which is aligned with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030’.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sports to improve its global image after many criticisms from international organisations. Cristiano Ronaldo was signed with a reported £178 million annual salary. 

It also paid World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) a staggering $500 million for ten years to host two shows a year in the kingdom. 

There are now plans for the company to bring its flagship Wrestlemania event to Saudi Arabia. 

Last year, the kingdom won the right to host the 2034 football World Cup, despite having one of the highest execution rates in the world, behind only China and Iran.