Italian contractor WeBuild has been awarded a contract worth an estimated SR20 billion ($5 billion) to build dams to create an artificial lake at the center of NEOM’s Trojena project, it was announced on Monday.

The mountain ski resort in the Kingdom’s northwest is due to host the Asian Winter Games in 2029.

According to a statement released by MEED, the project’s main dam will be 145 meters high, 475 meters long at the crest, and will be built using 2.7 million cubic meters of roller compact concrete.

Two other, smaller dams will also be built and be connected to the nearby Lake Village by an underwater tunnel, and the works will include foundations for the Bow Building, which will house a hotel.

The WeBuild contract is the second such award for the Trojena project after Saudi firm Al-Ayuni Investment and Contracting Company and Turkiye’s Limak Holding were given a SR4.5 billion infrastructure development contract. It is the second major contract awarded for the development at Trojena.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the launch of the Trojena resort in March 2022.