Chechnya to open ski resort

A ski resort in Chechnya's Itum-Kalin Region will become one of the
most comfortable and attractive complexes for Russian and foreign
tourists, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said in Grozny on November 22.
He said that five-start hotel complexes for 400 tourists were designed
in the style of old Chechen guard towers.

The resort is located 2850 m above the sea level and has an area of
800 hectares. The total length of skiing tracks will be 45 km,
covering 64 hectares. The longest track will be 5.6 kilometre long and
will serve 12,000 skiers per hour.

The resort will need a mini hydro electric plant with a power of 20
megawatts, Kadyrov said.

The resort will also have a car park. There will be 40 jeeps and 37
buses to transport tourists from the airport to the mountains and
back. There are plans to purchase 4 premium-class helicopters. One of
them will function as sanitary aviation.

There will be 7 modern elevators for skiers for 6-8 seats each.
Kadyrov said that they are estimating the expenses. A company called
"Veduchi" has already been established to work on the project,
Interfax reports.

Kadyrov said that the resort will function all year. In summer it will
have an open swimming pool and activities with various kinds of
sports.

The project will be prepared in five years.

The authorities are currently viewing variants of financing the
project. It may involve both federal and private investment, Kadyrov
said.