A Dubai-based retailer is reportedly gearing up to build the world's largest indoor ski resort in China
- China is building the world's largest indoor ski resort in Shanghai.
- The one milion square-foot project will have three different ski slopes and offer 25 non-skiing activities
- The Chinese government is encouraging its citizens to take up skiing and other winter sports ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Skiers in Shanghai, China, won't have to travel to faraway mountains anymore to hit the slopes. Foreign real-estate investors recently announced plans to build what they say will be the world's largest indoor ski resort in China's most-populated city.
The development, called Wintastar Shanghai, is projected to span about one million square-feet, with three separate ski slopes. The site will also offer a range of other attractions. The three slopes will each present different levels of difficulty for skiers, with one described as providing "Olympic standard for training," CNN reported Tuesday.
To get a hint at what the resort could look like, it might be helpful to know that the the company behind the project, Majid Al Futtaim, was responsible for bringing the first indoor ski slope to the Middle East in 2005.
Those visiting the company's Ski Dubai development, in the United Arab Emirates, can enjoy a number of outdoor-themed indoor activities. Ski Dubai comes complete with a wooden-cabin located halfway down the slope for visitors to indulge on wintry treats like hot chocolate.
Wintaster Shanghai will be three-times larger than Ski Dubai, according to the CNN report. It was not immediately clear when the project will be complete.
The Chinese government is actively encouraging its citizens to take up skiing and other winter sports as it prepares to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. Beijing launched an initiative in 2016 to build 240 ski slopes, and 600 ice rinks with the goal of getting 300 million of its citizens to play winter sports by 2025.