The new artificial lake (Mountain of NEOM), artificial lake (Trozena), and artificial lakes will be built in the Trojana Mountains, 2,000 meters high and 2.8 kilometers long, within the NEOM project. While the original engineering plan for this new destination called for 3 dams to create a continuous reserve of water, as of the end of March 2026, NEOM has issued a ‘cessation for the facility’ to the prime contractors, effectively suspending primary dam construction at 30 percent completion.The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has announced that the venue of the Winter 2029 Olympics has been moved from Trozena, via NEOM, Saudi Arabia, to Almaty, Kazakhstan, due to delays in the original construction schedule and the OCA needs to update its construction targets for NEOM and ‘pragmatic recalibration’ of construction goals and priorities associated with the construction of the new main road connecting Barakah and Trozena. Is required. Although athletes will no longer travel to Trozena to compete at 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 technologies and harnessing renewable energy.
A three-dam system would have powered the artificial lake of Trozena.
The primary feature of the Trozena development is an artificial lake that will be more than 2,000 meters high and 2.8 kilometers long. Since water is scarce in the Arab region, the development team originally devised 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 construction contract for these dams was terminated, halting the physical realization of the reservoir. These dams are engineered to carry a sufficient load of water at a high altitude, creating a reliable reservoir throughout the year. Apart from the aesthetic beauty and functional use of the lake for a mountain resort, it also provides the base level for all the infrastructure to support luxurious lakeside living and provides special meteorological characteristics for a mountain destination.
Relocation and construction recalculation of the 2029 Asian Winter Games
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has made a significant change to the Asian Winter Games schedule: the Games will now take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, instead of Trojna in NEON. This decision was formalized in February 2026 when OCA signed a host city contract with Almaty, Kazakhstan, following a reassessment of NEOM construction priorities and the suspension of major infrastructure contracts in the Trojan region. OCA and planners have turned their attention to building the infrastructure needed to support long-term connectivity throughout the region, particularly in relation to the main road linking Baraka to Trozena. With no additional pressure to meet the 2029 Olympic objective, the Kingdom can rest assured that the necessary transport and utility systems will be built to the quality standards required for a sustainable global destination.
Trojana and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 for mountain tourism
Although the international sporting calendar has changed, the Trozena construction project is a key part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and focuses on developing a new global standard for high-quality, sustainable mountain tourism by combining innovative hydraulic technology with 100 percent renewable energy. The project aims to combine a high level of hospitality and ecological conservation, while ensuring that the artificial lake and its surrounding ski slopes have minimal environmental impact. Thus, even as the project enters a phased ‘restructuring’ period, it continues to represent a prime example of how the State intends to diversify its economy and create a world-class entertainment center through cutting-edge technologies and cutting-edge architecture.