SAM Magazine—Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, July 8, 2016—Ski resorts have been built in war zones (Syria/Israel, Iraq, and Pakistan, for example), or in areas that have become war zones (Bosnia), and some war movies have been filmed at ski areas, but a plan to build a “war themed” ski resort is believed to be a first.

Oscar-winning Russian filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov decided to take the set of one of his movies—Burnt by the Sun 2: Citadel—and bring it to life, just with skiers and snowboarders rather than WWII paratroopers. The $110 million resort is going to be called Citadel and according to reports it is either “proposed,” or actually “under construction” in Russia's Ural Mountains close to the Kazakhstan border southeast of Moscow. Reports have said 80 percent of the price tag is being covered by private funds, the other 20 percent by regional authorities, and the resort is expected to open by 2020.

Part of the investment appears to be going towards making the scene at the resort more violent than tranquil. Instead of cartoon characters in the kids learning area and kink rails in the terrain park, Citadel will feature…alternative decor. "We came up with the idea for a ski resort, related to the film Citadel and the general image of war," Mikhalkov was quoted as saying by Russian news agency Rambler News Service. "Ski slopes will be located on an imitated battlefield, marked with barbed wire, but it will be made of rubber. There will also be burnt tanks, but you won't get injured bumping on them," he said. Phew, that's a relief.

But don't think for a minute that Mikhalkov's vision isn't family-friendly or lacks edutainment. He said the environment will be for people who want to ensure a patriotic upbringing of the younger generation. Nothing says national pride like carving through a simulated minefield or jibbing a rubber howitzer (neither are confirmed features of the area).

Ski and snowboard resorts are not synonymous with war zones, but theming is a trend in the resort industry, and Citadel proves that there are no limitations to potential themes. Just don't get caught skiing fast in a slow zone, you may get more than just your pass clipped.

This story is based on a report from Snow Hunter's World Weekly Snow News

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