As reported by DW, the Games were initially set to be held in the under-construction megacity on the shores of the Red Sea. However, due to rising costs and falling oil prices, the Saudi authorities decided to scale back several of their ambitious projects.
Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, president of the OCA, expressed confidence in the successful hosting of the upcoming Games. He noted that Almaty has a rich history in winter sports and previously hosted the Asian Winter Games in 2011. The signing of the document to change the venue took place during the Winter Olympics in Milan.
It was previously reported that the year-round mountain resort of Trojena, which was planned to be used for the Games, was estimated at $500 billion. However, according to some sources, its actual cost could exceed this figure by 16 times. The resort was to include ski slopes, an artificial freshwater lake, hotels, and residential areas covering approximately 60 square kilometers. It is located in the mountains at an altitude of 1,500 to 2,600 meters above sea level, where winter temperatures drop below zero, allowing for the use of natural snow.
