NEWS

Xanadu Construction May Start in February

The joint developers and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority hope that work on the $1.3 billion Meadowlands Xanadu project in New Jersey will begin in February, after a few final technicalities are completed.

Neveplast Goes From Strength to Strength

The artificial ski surface Neveplast is expanding rapidly creating new artificial ski slopes as well as year-round tubing runs and slopes for events.

“World’s First Billion Dollar Home” To Include Indoor Snow in India

Forbes (www.forbes.com) has reported that the world’s first billion dollar home, in the Indian city of Mumbai, will include a cool room in its health suite where indoor snow will fall to help residents escape the city’s heat.

Welsh Company To Supply Artificial Surface Slopes To Israel

Welsh company Impact Leisure International is to export a 9,000 square metre Playgrass Ski Carpet to Israel for use on two artificial ski slopes to be built in the Gilboa Mountains.

WaterSnoGo Sponsor All-Star Speedway

WaterSnoGo, an Indoor-Outdoor Theme Park Franchise spearheaded by Mark O Hildonen, a Four-Time Wheel Standing Funny Car Drag Racing Champion nicknamed “Mad Man Marko” has sponsored a series of All-Star Speedway races in New Hampshire.

SunKid Report Boom in Summer Tubing Business

Carpet lift manufacturer SunKid is reporting that summer tubing is booming. Together with its Italian partner Neveplast, SunKid has installed a total of 230 tubing courses all over the world.

Acer Snowmec Reports Enquiries For Indoor Snow Slopes Up To 500,000 SQM

Acer Snowmec, the company behind the snowmaking in many of the world’s leading existing snow centres including Ski Dubai, Xanadu in Madrid and the UK’s Xscape and Chill Factore centres, have reported that they have received enquiries for indoor snow slopes up to 2km long and covering areas up to 500,000 square metres – about four times longer and more than 12 times the area of the longest existing indoor facilities.

Snowmagic Bring Snow to Oklahoma

SnowMagic® has been awarded a contract by Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc. (DOKC) to operate a winter snowtubing and snowplay park at the AT&T stadium in Bricktown, Oklahoma City.

Cruise Liner Company Considered Indoor Snow Slopes For Ships

An interview with Royal Caribbean executive vice president Harri Kulovaara by USA Today has revealed that the company has considered installing an indoor snow slope on its giant luxury cruise liners.

Junior Race Championships Indoors in New Zealand

With New Zealand’s regular ski resorts still, probably, a month from opening, the country’s indoor snow centre, Snowplanet, along with Ruapehu Junior Championship are running a series of four Ski Racing events ran in May and June.

First Races at Chill Factore

The most promising young skiers from England and Wales gathered at the new indoor snow centre Chill Factore near Manchester at the weekend for the inaugural Anglo Welsh Indoor Championships – the first competitive race to be held at the Alpine ski village.

Green Light For First Irish Indoor Snow Ski Centre

Ireland may get one of the world’s largest indoor ski centres far after government planning controllers approved plans for the as yet unnamed development on a disused gravel quarry and surrounding land at Ballinahinch Lower near Newtownmountkennedy in County Wicklow.

Indoor Snow in New Zealand

Auckland’s Snowplanet, the first indoor snow centre in New Zealand, due to open next month, has successfully covered its 8000 square metre slope with 50cm (20 inches) of snow in a test of its facilities.

Snow Mountain For Sheffield

Plans for one of the world’s biggest indoor snow ski halls on the present site of one of Europe’s largest artificial surface ski centres (by slope area), at Sheffield in South Yorkshire, have been put to local government for consideration this week.

Seven Continent Marathon World Record Attempt Man Trains For Antarctic Stage in Singapore Snowdome

A 48 year old Singapore Doctor who has been paralysed from the waist down since age two is planning to break the world record time for completing seven marathons on all seven continents.

"World's first complete indoor mountain resort" Opens September

A first for the Middle East, Majid Al Futtaim Investments has finalized details for Ski Dubai's Snow Park, the largest indoor snow play area in the world totalling 3000 sqm. Part of the Mall of the Emirates' Ski Dubai development, the park will provide a unique entertainment experience for all ages, complementing the range of other exciting experiences Ski Dubai offers.

Ice Hotel in Times Square

After being featured on ABC's "Good Morning America" and its spectacular inauguration party, it is sure that Ice Hotel knows how to celebrate.

Ski Dubai Launches Website

Ski Dubai, the indoor snow centre marketing itself as the worlds first true indoor ski resort has launched a preliminary website ahead of its official launch in September.

Indoor Ski Centre Opens in New Zealand

The first ski centre in New Zealand opened on Saturday, March 5th at Silverdale, north of Auckland.

Snowdome for Puerto Rico ?

The mayor of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Carlos Méndez led a presentation to promote the construction of an “indoor snow mountain” in the city.

Realli-Ski Centre Opens in England

A new centre that that contains a moving, tilting conveyor with a snow-like surface has opened in Kent, England. The “Realli-ski training method” replicates the feeling of skiing over snow and has five different levels from beginner (green), through blue, red and black to expert level double diamond black.

Ghanaian Bids To Become First Black Olympic Downhiller, But Needs Sponsors

Ghanaian downhill skier Kwame Achaempong; dubbed “The Snow Leopard,” is bidding to become the first black downhill skier to compete in the Olympics. Despite limited experience of the international race scene and chronically limited resources, Kwame is currently knotching up the World Cup points required to officially qualify for next year’s Games in Italy – all that’s lacking is cash, not confidence.

Dorset Snowsport Centre Opens

Warmwell Holiday park, near Weymouth in southern England will open to the public on Saturday 19th March to unveil the new look Dorset Snowsport Centre.

Kempinski Slopeside Five Star For Dubai

Kempinski Hotels & Resorts has been awarded the management contract for a truly unique hotel at Majid Al Futaim Investments’ ‘Mall of the Emirates’ on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This is Kempinski’s first hotel in Dubai and is scheduled to open in January 2006.

Dubailand Snowdome Progresses

Although Ski Dubai, scheduled to open in three months, is the headline snowdome development in Dubai at present. There are several other indoor snow centre projects in the Emirate making quiet progress in the background.

Six Year Plan For Cardiff Snowdome Development Reliant on Casino

Long delayed plans for a £700m ($1.3 billion US) “International Sports Village” in Cardiff Bay, Wales, finally took a step forward this month with the submission of initial planning applications to the local authorities for initial facilities on the site including a swimming pool complex and a food supermarket. Construction is scheduled to begin later this year.

Ski Dubai Launches Creativity Contest As Part of Pre-Launch Promotion

Ski Dubai, the first large scale indoor snow centre in the Middle East, due to open in three month’s time, has launched a two-part ‘creativity contest’ for high school and university students in Dubai and Sharjah and is co-sponsored by Red Bull.

All-Season Extreme

All weather snowmaking event specialists Sturm have launched a new venture All-Season Extreme which aims to bring the British built artificial slope surface Snowflex to US installations.

New Xscape Rail Station Opens

A new £2.3m ($4m US) rail station has opened at Glasshoughton, at the Castleford Xscape in North Yorkshire, England.

Go Ahead For Welsh Indoor Snow Centre Complex

The £60m Bluestone Holiday complex , set in 500 acres of Pembrokeshire countryside in Wales has been given the go ahead after The Council for National Parks lost a final appeal at the House of Lords against the Bluestone development.

STURM Expand Their All Temperature Snow Making System Opportunities

The successful snowmaking system that US Company STURM developed over 16 years ago and currently used primarily in the world of special effects and special events is being expanded so it can be used for permanent indoor and outdoor applications.

Snowmaking For The Home

US Company SnowStation has launched a portable snowmaking machine for home use.

Xanadu Marches On

The vast Xanadu development, incorporating what looks likely to be North America’s long awaited first indoor snow centre, is continuing construction began last Spring despite a succession of as yet unsuccessful law suits against it, several reported to be still pending.

Full SnOasis Plan Revealed

The full details of the proposed £320million SnOasis indoor winter sports centre in Suffolk has been published this month for the first time.

Snow in Memphis

Oak Court Mall in Memphis, Temnesee will be bringing a rare fall of snow to the southern state.

Phase 2 of Braehead Launched

Capital Shopping Centres has launched a new office park aimed at small and medium-sized businesses as part of the £500 million Phase Two development of its land interests surrounding Braehead in Renfrewshire, home of the UK’s third and Scotland’s first indoor snow centre due to open in the Spring.

Mall of the Emirates Crowned The World's Leading New Shopping Mall

Dubai's Mall of the Emirates was crowned The World's Leading New Shopping Mall at the World Travel Awards in London this month.

$5.6 Billion Leisure Complex With Snowdome Planned for New Mexico

One of the most ambitious construction projects in New Mexico history has been launched by Albuquerque promoter Art Bostick.

Wycombe Summit Buildings Destroyed by Fire, Slope In Tact

A large part of the buildings at Wycombe Summit ski centre, one of Britain’s top artificial surface ski centres, has been destroyed by fire.

Indoor Snow Slope For Abu Dhabi Takes Shape

British firm Snowbusiness UK Ltd have been signed up as consultants for the snow based activities to open at Marina Mall Abu Dhabi in March next year. The development is being created by National Investment Corporation and is attached to their existing highly successful 70,000 square metre mall. An additional 100,000 square metres of space is being added in Phase 2, currently underway, more than doubling the size of the existing complex. The expansion includes Snoworld, on the Gulf side, which will include the 4000 square metre Snow World area, ice rink, 36 lane bowling centre and many complimentary attractions.

North Wales Snowdome Project Founders

A proposal for an indoor snow centre in North Wales, Great Britain, may be in difficulties after the local council told the consortium behind the project that they were no longer holding the site exclusively for them and were opening up the tendering process to any other interested parties.

Spain’s Second Snowdome will be bigger than Xanadú

A second snowdome for Spain is being proposed for the city of Valencia. The new indoor snow centre will be larger than the existing Xanadú centre near Madrid, making it one of the world’s largest, and will be visible from almost any point in the city.

Snowflex in the US

Snowflex USA, the exclusive US reps for Briton Engineering Developments, announced this week the retrofit of jumps and ramps with TRAXFLEX™, the upper most surface of the successful 4-layer SNOWFLEX™ system, at the Utah Olympic Park, Park City, Utah.

Scotland’s First Snowdome To Attract 3m Visitors And Generate £50m

Chief Executive of X-Leisure PY Gerbeau, has officially launched Xscape featuring Scotland’s first indoor real snow slope. The landmark destination will open in spring 2006 at Braehead and follows the success of Xscape Milton Keynes and Castleford Leeds.

World’s Largest Indoor Ski Training Deck Opens in Hong Kong

The world's largest revolving carpet ski and snowboard training deck has opened in the heart of Hong Kong. Slope Infinity's training decks offers Hong Kong's skiers and snowboarders a dynamic instruction program, ideal for both kids and adults and all ability levels.

First US Snowdome Under Construction

Work has begun on Meadowlands Xanadu, New Jersey, dubbed “the ultimate sports, leisure, family entertainment and shopping complex in the United States”. The vast complex includes what looks likely to be the first snowdome in North America after at least a decade of project initiatives in Canada and the US that have failed to break ground. These have included the famed Gotcha Glacier project of the late 1990s, backed by ski resort Mammoth Mountain, that got as far as acquiring land close to Disneyland in Anaheim, even driving a digger on to it, but ultimately failing to actually start digging.

Indoor Ski Centre Opens in South Africa

A new chain of indoor ski centres on artificial surfaces are opening in South Africa.

Powderpak in Mexico

US based artificial surface manufacturer Powderpak has announced several new installations around the world in recent months.

Snow Sports Without Snow This Summer at Lake Placid

The snow may be gone, but the Winter Olympic venues at Lake Placid, New York State in the US are offering jumps, rails and bobsleigh on all weather surfaces.

Star City Adds X-Attractions

Star City in Birmingham, England has added a whole range of new attractions in order to transform the existing facility in to more of a destination and change the established perception of the centre.

Dry Slopes Encourage Britons To Learn To Ski Then Head For Conventional Resorts

Six dry ski slopes across the UK are offering cut-price courses for beginner skiers – both adults and children – to learn this summer.

Unlimited Snow Prepare For The Arctic

Indoor snow centre experts, Amsterdam based Unlimited Snow, are pressing ahead with their first ‘Arctic’ indoor snow facility which will open in 2007/2008 in Etten-Leur in the south of the Netherlands as part of a sport complex with swimming pool, fitness, sports hall, sports retail, jungle world, sports and leisure educational institutes and hotel.

Extreme Snow Event At Snowscape, South Africa

On the 14th May 2005 a series of freestyle skiing and snowboarding events were held at SnowScape in Fourways. Saturday, 18th June, saw the second event of the series, this time being sponsored by Smith Sunglasses. The turnout has was better than expected and the interest has been phenomenal. With all the hype generated from the first two events SnowScape has now decided to take it to the next level.

Sports Minister Backs SnOasis Project.

The British Sports Minister, Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, has given his support to the SnOasis indoor snow centre in England, claiming that the winter sports leisure resort will be ‘a real asset to the country’s pool of sports and leisure facilities’. The Sports Minister joins the numerous organisations and individuals, including the British Olympic Association and Visit Britain, who have already backed the privately funded project.

New Indoor Snow Company Launched

Snow World India, the country’s only indoor snow centre, has launched a new company 2R Leisure from their base in Hyderabad

Korea Plans Indoor Snow Centre for Busan

Faced with growing competition from China, the South Korean government is seeking to strengthen its economy by developing Busan port as a mega-hub for Northeast Asia comparable to the role of Singapore in Southeast Asia. The first phase of a $7.6 billion new port is slated for completion by the end of this year, when the first three of thirty berths become operational.

Xanadu Construction ‘Ahead of Schedule’

Despite several legal challenges and complex negotiations with various interested parties, building work at Xanadu, the Mills Corporation’s 1.3 billion dollar office and leisure complex is “a little ahead of schedule” according to a company spokesman.

Big Banana Gets New Joint Owners

Coffs Harbour's Big Banana Theme Park in New South Wales, home to the only surviving indoor snow slope in Australia, has a new 50% owner - Canberra-based Village Building Company.

Kerry Packer Invests in Welsh Casino

Kerry Packer, the Australian billionaire, will be building a $360 million casino in Cardiff Bay in Wales. The casino will be the centre of a much bigger complex including two hotels, a snow sports centre, and an indoor hockey arena for the Cardiff Devils ice hockey team.

First French Snowdome Plans To Open November 30th

World's Third Longest Indoor Slope With Greatest Indoor Vertical- The long planned indoor snow centre in the former steel town of Amneville in North Eastern France, close to the Belgian border, will open on November 30th, according to the local tourist office, at a cost of some 15 million Euros.

Snowdome Supplies Düsseldorf City Snow For World Cup Ski Race

The Cross-Country Ski World Cup rolled into the German city of Düsseldorf this month and the banks of the Rhine where 35,000 fans turned out to watch the opening event.

Snow Factories All Weather Snow Making In Austrian Ski Resort.

Australia-based company Snow Factories has announced the installation of two of its SF100 all weather snow making systems is in the conventional ski area of Hopfgarten, near Kitzbuhel in Austria.

Icer Takes To the Air

The delayed Icer Air 2005 event finally took place after a month of delays, protests and legal wrangles in San Francisco. The event generated mixed reviews with some previously in favour of the event questioning the standard of the performance by the ski acrobats participating as well as safety standards. However organiser, participant and Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley described the event as "Better than expected."

Young Canadian Ski Racing Hopefuls Train on Indoor Snow

The Alpincenter snowdome in Germany hosted potential members of the Canadian ladies ski team for slalom training recently. The seven women who want to qualify for the Canadian Alpine Development Ski Team. The dome offers good conditions for racers looking to fine tune their technical skills.

Xscape Celebrates 5th Birthday With Europe’s First Airkix

The English snowdome Xscape in Milton Keynes will celebrate its fifth birthday on 17th November when CEO PY Gerbeau hosts celebrations which will include a Christmas Lights switch on by pop band Girls Aloud.

Silverdale Adds Luge Tracks

Three luge tracks are planned for a hillside at Silverdale, near the Snowplanet indoor ski slope and Action Raceway Go-Karting.

Cardiff Snowdome Edges Closer

The long planned construction of the £700m Cardiff International Sports Village in Wales has taken a step forward with the signing of development agreements to start civil engineering work.

Korean Snowdome Part of Global Business Hub

British company Snowbox plans to invest $200m in a retail complex with snowdome as part of a m,assive development in the Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone (BJFEZ) on the southeastern coast of Korea. Since the inception of the BJFEZ Authority in March of 2004, it has attracted a total of $3.72 billion in foreign direct investment.

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First Scottish Snowdome Opens This Month

The first indoor snow slope in Scotland is scheduled to have its formal opening party on April 6th with some 10,000 people expected to attends the event. Xscape Braehead near Glasgow is the third Xscape to open in the UK, a little over five years after the first, in Milton Keynes.

Kansas Plans To Build World's First Ski-Trac

An organisation called the 110th Street Corridor Development LLC, has announced plans to develop a large leisure centre, incorporating the largest free standing dome in North America, on the town of Edwardsville's 650-acre Riverview Redevelopment Area in Kansas.

Europe's Biggest Artificial Snowslope Redevelopment Gets Bigger

The redevelopment of Europe's largest artificial slope at Noux-les-Mines in northern France has been expanded.

Finnish City Plans Major Leisure Development Including £270m Indoor Slope

Lifestyle Park is to be designed by Evata Development and it will house five main sectors including the 270m indoor slope, an indoor water park with permanent waves for surfing, hotel, an IMAX cinema and a multipurpose arena along with shops, cafés, and restaurants.

Chinese Olympic Official Calls For More Snowdomes After First Snow Gold

Following China's first ever gold medal in a snow sport event at last month's Turin Olympics, the head of the country's Olympic delegation has called for faster expansion of the country's winter sports facilities, including snowdomes in cities distant from natural ski terrain, so that the world's most heavily populated nation wins more medals in Whistler in 201

Ski Dubai Opens Dedicated Tubing Hill

Ski Dubai, the world's first indoor mountain resort has added a dedicated tubing hill in its Snow Park, offering visitors the chance to enjoy another entertainment activity in the resort located in Mall of the Emirates.

500m Long Indoor Snow Slope Planned For North Wales

Snowdonia Gateway Limited (SGL) has provided updated proposals to Gwynedd Council for a former quarry at Llanberis' Glyn Rhonwy. The scheme, first announced three years ago, now envisages a 500m slope - which would make it one of the three largest in the world - and is reported to be backed by X-Leisure, which runs the hugely-popular Xscape retail and leisure complexes at Milton Keynes, Castleford and Braehead.

World's First Purpose Built 'Freeride' Complex Planned For Cornwall

Plans for what the operators believe will be the first ever purpose built freeride centre have been unveiled at a media launch in March.

Billion Dollar Snowdome Under Construction in Dubai

Groundworks are reported to have finally begun in Dubai on the snowdome at the $5 billion Dubailand theme park, some five years after it was initially proposed.

World Indoor Snowkayak Championships Staged

The World Indoor Snowkayak Championships were staged at Holland’s Landgraff Indoor Ski Centre near The Hague, on March 31st and April 1st.

SNO! SHOW at SNO!zone

This Autumn will see the launch of the new SNO! SHOW to be held on 29th and 30th September at SNO!zone in Xscape, Milton Keynes with support from winter sports retailer Ellis Brigham. With the use of the real snow slope at SNO!zone, the show will be the biggest UK-based Ski and Board show where customers can actually try out equipment on the snow.

Coolzone Winterplex Still Moving Forward

Plans for the Coolzone Winterplex in Texas, first announced a year ago, are still progressing with backers, The Bearfire Group, aiming to commence construction by the end of the year with the facility likely to open in late 2008.

Ski Trac Is Answer To Climate Change problems For Ski Industry

The Ski Trac is being promoted as an answer to the problem of climate change for ski areas by the Australian designers of the system, “With the winter snow on some ski slopes already diminishing due to the increasing temperatures of global warming, the Ski Trac will emerge as a solution, with year-round skiing on what will be the world's longest ski run.” said a company spokesman.

Indoor Freestyle Training Facilities Planned For Colorado

The leading Colorado ski resort of Copper Mountain is planning to build an indoor training facility for skiers and boarders wishing to learn or improve their technique in the terrain park in a safer, controlled environment.

Ski Dubai Team Win International Construction Award

Ski Dubai has been named winner of the International Performance award at the Quality in Construction Awards 2007, held in London on 21st March 2007.

Grom Freestyle Ski Camps At The SnowDome

The legendary Pat Sharples (Salomon & Oakley Freestyle Ski Team Manager) and his Grom Freestyle Camps will be at the SnowDome in Tamworth this spring for four exclusive sessions of freestyle ski coaching, video analysis, giveaways and on-slope competitions.

Plans For Indoor Snow Centre in Cardiff Still On, Despite Setback

The announcement by the British Government to, probably, develop the country’s first gambling mecca or “Super casino” in Manchester rather than one of the other locations bidding for the lucrative development was a setback for two proposals which were to incorporate indoor snow centres – Blackpool and Cardiff.

Halifax Ski Centre For Sale

Halifax Ski and Snowboarding Centre, at Bradford Old Road, Halifax is up for sale for £1.525 million this weekend.

Worlds Longest Ski Tunnel, First Indoor Biathlon Centre, Opens in Sweden

Fortum Ski Tunnel opened in June. It is Sweden’s first and the world´s longest ski tunnel with the only indoor biathlon arena in the world.

Local Talent Ruled At British Freestyle Rail Jam Event.

Celebrating its 5th birthday the Orange AIM Series ups its game. It has increased the number of UK based events, introduced a Rail Jam Session into the Series, offered a 10% discount on competition entry for SCUK members and also has 750 free introductory lessons up for grabs!

Marina Mall’s Snowdome To Open Later This Year

Later this year Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates will open its Snoworld combined retail and entertainment destination” which will include a fully equipped snow ski-slope, skating rink and shopping complex all located within Abu Dhabi's premier retail landmark.

Germany’s Fifth Snowdome To Open in December

The long planned Snow Funpark in Wittenburg, Germany is scheduled to open in December.

Brits Learn To Ski in Dubai Before Taking on Tough Colorado Charity Race

Four Brits who have learned to ski in Dubai’s new Ski Dubai indoor ski resort are to compete in one of the most demanding endurance ski races there is next January, the Colorado Ski and Board Challenge.

Spend The Night In A Blizzard at –10, Indoors

Indoor snow centre Xscape, Castleford, has created a new opportunity for snow addicts – the chance to ‘camp out’ on the snow slope through the night when temperaturews are brought down to minus 10 and snow is made for up to five hours.

Ski Trac For Saudi Arabia

A feasibility study is almost completed for the construction of the long-awaited first Ski Trac.

Disappointment For SnOasis Team As Secretary of State “Calls In” Project

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has today announced that she will be calling in the SnOasis planning application and that it will be subject to a Public Inquiry. The project would create a year round winter sports experience in the form of a themed activity resort for the whole family, and a winter sports centre of excellence for athletes in training.

Snowboarding on the Beaches of the Algarve

After being held for four years in Gouveia (Serra de Estrela) – Portugal’s only conventional ski area - the ninth edition of the Portuguese Snowboard Cup (Taça do Mundo Snowboard) moved to the baking beaches of Algarve at the end of July.

Indoor Pro-Boarding Summer Camps In Dubai

In another sign of the continuing cross-over of indoor snow centres in to the main stream with innovative initiatives, Ski Dubai is running a boarding camp this week sponsored by the sport’s most famous name, Burton.