“You can build your own things that other people can use. And once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again.”
Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple
Indoor snow centres have been around for nearly 100 years, so Winter Sports World won’t be a new invention when it opens in 2028 despite being an Australian first.
It’s not like they’re a rare find either – there’s more than 150 of them around the world, some in surprising places like the desert or near outdoor snow fields.
Some places can’t get enough of them – China’s city of Wuhan has just opened its fourth indoor snow centre (on the eighth floor of a shopping mall).
Indoor snow centres have revolutionised winter sports, bringing alpine experiences to cities far from natural snowfall.
There are lessons to be learned from the indoor snow centres that have gone before us.
The most successful venues don’t just replicate the slopes; they create immersive environments that attract a range of visitors.
We’ve analysed the world’s successful running indoor snow centres and the keys to their success.
Ski Dubai (UAE)
Ski Dubai's Live Penguins.
Located in the Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai set the gold standard for indoor skiing when it opened in 2005.
Spanning 22,500m2, it offers slopes of varying difficulty and was one of the first to offer immersive multi-activity snow play. Its live penguins are also a famous point of difference.
Its success lies in its ability to create a unique, high-quality experience that appeals to skiers and non-skiers alike.
Key takeaways for Winter Sports World: Go beyond skiing – incorporate entertainment, wildlife experiences and interactive attractions to widen audience appeal.
Winter Sports World progress: included in plans from day one.
SnowWorld Landgraaf (Netherlands)
SnowWorld Landgraaf is a hub for professional skiers and snowboarders
With more than 35,000m2 of slopes and an International Ski and Snowboard Federation-certified race slope, SnowWorld Landgraaf is a hub for professional skiers and snowboarders.
It’s the go-to location for year-round training and even hosts international competitions.
Key takeaways: Cater to elite athletes by offering top-tier training facilities, professional coaching and FIS-approved slopes.
Winter Sports World progress: included in plans from day one, FIS guidelines being followed and approval will be sought on completion of the project.
Harbin Wanda Indoor Ski and Winter Sports Resort (China)
The world's biggest indoor snow resort has six slopes
Opened in 2017, this 80,000m2 facility in China’s winter capital boasts six slopes, including a 500m-long advanced run.
Harbin Wanda attracts not just locals but international tourists thanks to its scale and integration with a full entertainment complex.
Key takeaways: Think big – expanding scale and integrating with hotels, dining and other leisure activities can turn an indoor ski centre into a fully-fledged destination.
Winter Sports World progress: Winter Sports World will have a 170-room hotel, various dining venues, a day spa, conference & events facilities, extensive outdoor landscaping and Indigenous cultural experiences.
The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead (UK)
The Snow Centre is renowned for its local community engagement
Smaller than others on this list, The Snow Centre thrives by engaging its local community.
It provides accessible lessons, adaptive skiing programs and extensive group events, making it a hub for families, schools and local businesses.
Key takeaways: A strong connection with the local community through lessons, events and inclusivity programs fosters long-term loyalty and repeat visitors. It helped transform tourism in the area and attracts not only locals but people from all over the world still successful and relevant 20 years later.
Winter Sports World progress: Our project was always intended to benefit the Penrith and Western Sydney community.
Winter Sports World will have special community, school and sporting group programs and pricing. We will even have our own sporting teams.
(Something like) Winter Sports World will offer an immersive genuine alpine experience with dedicated snow play and restaurants/cafes with snow views.
Locals will be welcomed and encouraged to adopt our cafes, day spa facilities, and indoor and outdoor activity spaces as their go-to catchup spots and sanctuaries.
Alpincenter Bottrop (Germany)
Germany's Alpincenter Bottrop combines ski runs with après-ski experiences to create a European-style ski resort atmosphere
Boasting the world’s longest indoor ski run at 640 meters, Alpincenter Bottrop differentiates itself with endurance skiing. It combines ski runs with après-ski experiences, creating a European-style ski resort atmosphere.
Key takeaways: Unique selling points (record-breaking slopes or exclusive experiences, for example) help a venue stand out and attract global attention.
Winter Sports World progress:
- We are Australia’s first indoor snow resort
- WSW is the largest new tourist attraction project in Australia right now and the biggest ever for Western Sydney
- First in the world to have a ski slope on top of another snow box
- First in the world to have a hotel beneath the ski slope
- Closest major tourist attraction to the new @Western Sydney International Airport
- Latest green technology (solar panels, water harvesting, energy redistribution, chemical-free snow)
Lessons for the future
Winter Sports World will offer a range of activities to appeal to visitors of all ages
While some indoor snow centres have thrived, there’s no denying that others have struggled.
Understanding their mistakes has helped Winter Sports World avoid costly missteps.
- Lack of differentiation: Some centres struggled because they didn’t offer anything unique and failed to stand out from the crowd and attract a consistent audience.
How Winter Sports World has avoided this: Apart from the showstopping exterior building design, WSW will have changeable ski slopes with obstacles and challenges; a year-round calendar of entertainment, festivals and sporting events; and plenty of non-snow activities and attractions including strong Indigenous cultural elements.
- Limited offerings: Some snow centres just have a single offering like a snow run so only attract a very small limited market.
How Winter Sports World has avoided this: Our resort will have a multitude of offerings to attract snow enthusiasts as well as non-snow enthusiasts of all ages and markets, from athletes to families, corporates to tourists.
- High operating costs with poor financial planning: Some ventures underestimated the long-term costs of maintenance and energy consumption.
How Winter Sports World has avoided this: Sustainable energy solutions include a rooftop and northern façade solar farm to capture 60% electrical energy needs, exterior “ice shards” to hold up solar panel awnings, solar panel awnings shade building and façade ``blizzard’’ effect screen to shade windows and cool interior.
There will also be chemical-free snow, rainwater for snowmaking will be harvested in a 1.6 million litre underground tank, grey water from snowmaking will offset hotel water use, and there will be extensive landscaping and insulated walls.
Verified and benchmarked by global independent third-party economists and primary research specialists, our 30-year conservative cashflow forecasts that Winter Sports World will inject an additional $222 million annually into the local economy, contributing more than $2.5 billion in economic growth over the next decade.
- Neglecting the local community: Some centres focused solely on tourists and ignored local engagement, leading to inconsistent attendance.
How Winter Sports World has avoided this: I have personally engaged with Penrith and Western Sydney First Nations leaders, and have met with numerous politicians, business leaders and residents during the past decade – and continue to do so.
When open, Winter Sports World will offer locals pricing, special memberships, events and school, sports and community group partnerships.
- Failure to evolve: Several venues did not update their facilities or offerings over time, leading to declining interest.
How Winter Sports World has avoided this: We have a plan to continuously innovate with new attractions, training programs and interactive experiences. That plan will roll out over time.
The most successful indoor snow centres create more than just artificial slopes – they build immersive environments, cater to a diverse audience and offer compelling reasons for repeat visits.
As Winter Sports World prepares to enter the industry, me and my team are drawing inspiration from the successful snow centre leaders who have gone before us.
At the same time, we’re carving out our own unique identity – beyond just snow.