RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Turkish construction company Limak Holding is set to play a key role in the development of Trojena, the futuristic mountain tourism destination being built within Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion NEOM megacity project. Located in the Jabal Al-Lawz (Jebel al-Lawz) Mountains, approximately 50 kilometers from the Gulf of Aqaba and rising to 2,600 meters above sea level, Trojena is designed to transform a remote desert mountain region into a year-round luxury resort.
The centerpiece of the development will be a vast artificial freshwater lake created through the construction of three major dams. Engineering plans indicate that the lake will cover approximately 1.5 square kilometers and will be supported by a 145-meter-high roller-compacted concrete dam, alongside additional rockfill and auxiliary dams.
Italian construction giant Webuild has secured a contract worth approximately $4.7 billion to build the lake infrastructure and associated dam system. The project is expected to involve more than 10,000 workers and engineers.
One of Trojena’s most striking architectural features will be “The Bow,” a ship-shaped structure suspended over the valley in front of the main dam. The development will include luxury hotels, residential units, hospitality facilities, and an artificial island at the center of the lake.
Trojena is also expected to become the Gulf region’s first outdoor ski resort, benefiting from the area’s high elevation and winter snowfall. The destination will feature more than 30 kilometers of ski slopes and has already been selected to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games.
Limak’s Role
Limak will be responsible for constructing the “Vault” section, considered the main gateway to the Trojena development. The company’s scope of work includes the creation of an artificial valley, the excavation of multiple tunnels, and the construction of two tunnel-boring machine (TBM) tunnels on gradients reaching up to 40 percent.
Limak has previously been involved in major NEOM infrastructure contracts, including tunnel and excavation works awarded through partnerships with regional contractors. The company’s participation further highlights the growing role of Turkish construction firms in Saudi Arabia’s large-scale infrastructure and tourism projects.
Strategic Importance
Trojena is a flagship component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy, which aims to reduce the kingdom’s dependence on oil revenues by developing tourism, entertainment, and high-tech urban projects. Once completed, the mountain destination is expected to offer skiing, water sports, luxury hospitality, and outdoor recreation within a single integrated resort environment.
The project is widely regarded as one of the most ambitious tourism and engineering developments currently underway anywhere in the world.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök