A huge dry ski slope has gone into operation near the western Ukranian city of Lviv. Work on the facility began last autumn and was completed in early summer, despite Russia’s invasion.
The 19,000 m2 slope is part of a five-star resort, the Hotel Resort Emily, and has been designed so that it can also be used in winter when the area on Vynnyky mountain is often snow-covered from December to March (automated snowmaking kicks in when temperatures drop low enough). It’s located 4km from the city centre and 10km from the airport.
Elsewhere in Europe there’s a slightly longer dry slope at Kopaonik ski area in Serbia, although it does not have as big an area, and there are slightly bigger dry slopes by area in Japan and South Korea, although these are only open in summer.
At the new centre in Lviv there are two dry slopes with surface supplied by German ski slope surface manufacturer Skitrax World, each with a length of approx. 460 m and slope width of approx. 20 m. These lead skiers and snowboarders down to the lakeside where a modern Doppelmayr quad chairlift takes them back up to the top of the mountain.
Upon arrival at the top of the lift and the ski runs, a mighty red lion greets skiers, standing right next to the lift exit. It is the mascot of the Ukrainian soccer club RUKH, whose owner also built the hotel and leisure complex.
In terms of wider facilities along with the 5-star hotel, there are six restaurants, event and conference halls, many smaller rooms for meetings, a water park, island with beach, swimming pools, with large spa and sauna area and an amphitheatre.
The complex also features the largest soccer academy in the country with six large soccer fields, training rooms and a medical park. Plans for an additional large indoor soccer stadium are already underway. There are 1000 covered parking spaces and electric car charging facilities.
