June 09, 2018 (Oslo, Norway) – Construction is underway on Skihallen, the world’s largest indoor ski centre, in Lorensburg Winter Park a mere 10-minute drive from Norway’s capital Oslo as we reported back in 2015 when the green light was given for the massive project. The idea and need for the six-story, 40,000 square meter facility, just 20km east of Oslo, arose from the lack of consistency in the snowfall in this area of Norway.

The new year-round facility is unique housing both downhill and XC facilities in one indoor complex where 1,000s of people will be able to ski at the same time inside. Plans also include a terrain park, hotels, restaurants, shops, a winter academy, and other recreational activities.

The cross-country ski track, about one kilometre in length and five metres wide, will be suspended from roof structures at the lower end of the downhill slope. The ski track will comprise 120 components and weigh about 400 tonnes. The main downhill ski slope will be equipped with three ski lifts with a combined capacity of 5,000 skiers an hour.

“We’re moving the snow to town – all year round. We will build cross-country skiing on the third floor, and a big jump and downhill slope. Children and young people will be able to combine skiing and school. This is the future training centre for winter sports athletes,” said Kjetil Fladmark-Larsen, chief executive of Lorensburg Winter Park.

The complex has been designed by Norwegian architects Halvorsen & Reine AS along with Finland-based Ruukki Construction, part of the Swedish company SSAB.

Currently, the world’s largest indoor ski slope, Snowworld, near the city of Aachen in The Netherlands, offers some 35,000 square metres of snow. Dubai holds the record for the longest indoor run, where the Mall of the Emirates has a 400-metre slope, but there are plans to build a 1.2km slope in Dubai by 2020.

The new Lorensburg Winter Park Skihallen is scheduled to open in early 2020.

SkiTrax 2015 report here
InTheSnow.com here SnowBrains here.
Lorensburg Winter Park Skihallen website here.