The first new indoor snow centre in Europe since The Snow Centre opened at Hemel Hempstead north of London eight years ago has opened today near Antwerp in Belgium.
And like The Snow Centre, Belgium's 'Skipiste Aspen' was originally a popular club dry skislope for many decades before the decision to upgrade to an indoor snow centre.
Work has taken just over a year to build the centre which has a 250 metre long slope, a 15m high ceiling and claims to have a state-of-the-art low energy power system as well as a hi-tec wireless network throughout the centre to allow for hands-free access as well as payment for all services in the centre.
The high roof is being promoted as good news for freestyle skiers and boarders wanting to 'go big' in the centre's terrain park.
Belgium was actually home to one of the world's first refrigerated indoor snow centres 30 years ago, also choosing an iconic name, although in its case a North African city – Casablanca – rather than a famous Coloradan ski area.
Since then more than 100 indoor snow centres and cross country ski tunnels have been built in more than 30 resorts of which around 70 are currently operational. In the past year alone the first indoor snow centre in Africa has opened in Egypt, the first has opened in Viet Nam, the largest indoor centre yet has opened in China and the first in North America, a centre for tubing in Tennessee, is close to opening.
