Kamal Ghorui
New Artificial Lake (Mountain of NEOM), Artificial Lake (Trojena), & Artificial Lakes, to be built in the Trojena Mountains, that will be 2,000 meters high, within the NEOM project and 2.8 kilometres long. While the original engineering plan for this new destination required 3 dams to create a continuous body of water, as of late March 2026, NEOM has issued a ‘termination for convenience’ to the lead contractors, effectively suspending the primary dam construction at 30 per cent completion.The Olympics Council of Asia (OCA) has announced that the location of the Winter 2029 Olympics has been moved from Trojena, via NEOM, Saudi Arabia, to Almaty, Kazakhstan, because the original construction schedule has been delayed and due to the OCA’s need to update their construction goals for NEOM and ‘pragmatic recalibration’ of construction goals and priorities associated with the construction of the new main road connecting Baraka and Trojena. Although the athletes will no longer be going to Trojena to compete in the Winter 2029 Olympics, the New Construction project remains a key element of Vision 2030 for Saudi Arabia and seeks to establish a new definition of sustainable/high-quality mountain tourism by using innovative hydraulic engineering techniques and utilising renewable energy.
The three-dam system would have powered Trojena’s artificial lake
Trojena development’s primary feature is an artificial lake that would be more than 2,000 meters high and 2.8 kilometres long. As there is a lack of water within the Arab region, the development team originally designed an inventive plan for hydraulic engineering to provide a continuous source of water from three separate dam structures. However, following a strategic budgetary review in March 2026, the 4.7 billion dollar construction contract for these dams was terminated, placing the physical realisation of the reservoir on hold. These dams have been engineered to carry the considerable weight of water at an altitude, thereby creating a dependable year-round reservoir. In addition to the aesthetic beauty and functional use of the lake to the mountain resort, it also provides the base level for all infrastructure to support luxurious living at lakeside and provides the specialised weather characteristics for the mountain destination.
Relocation of the 2029 Asian Winter Games and construction recalibration
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has made an important change to the timeline for the Asian Winter Games: the Games will now be located in Almaty, Kazakhstan, instead of Trojena in NEOM. This decision was formalised in February 2026 when the OCA signed a Host City Contract with Almaty, Kazakhstan, following a re-evaluation of NEOM construction priorities and the suspension of major infrastructure contracts in the Trojena region. The OCA and the planners have shifted their focus to building the necessary infrastructure to support long-term connectivity throughout the region, particularly with regard to the main road connecting Baraka to Trojena. With no additional pressure to meet a 2029 Olympic objective, the Kingdom can assure that the required transportation and utility systems will be built to the quality standards necessary for a permanent global destination.
Trojena and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 for mountain tourism
Although the international sporting calendar has changed, the Trojena construction project is an important part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and continues to be focused on developing a new global standard for high-quality, sustainable mountain tourism by combining innovative hydraulic technology with 100 per cent renewable energy. The project also aims to combine high-end hospitality and ecological conservation while ensuring that the artificial lake and its adjoining ski slopes will have the least possible environmental impact. As such, even as the project enters a phased ‘recalibration’ period, it continues to represent a major example of how the Kingdom intends to diversify its economy and build world-class recreational centres through state-of-the-art technologies and state-of-the-art architecture.
