In the course of his visit to the northern regions of the country Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has acquainted with the construction of summer & winter tourism complex Shahdag in Gusar region.
Culture & tourism minister Abulfaz Garayev informs that being one of the most ambitious projects in Azerbaijan and the world tourism industry, the complex will act as the main but not the only arena of skiing and other winter sports.
The project was launched in 2006. The Shakhdag Complex Directorate was established to run the project. Construction of the complex began in September 2009. The complex is located 32 km from the regional centre - Gusar. Its total area is 2,058 hectares. The construction area is situated in Shahdag National Park. The complex is at 1,300-2,351 m and its main part at 1,640 m above sea level. Unlike from existing systems of this type in the world, it will operate throughout the year.
Most of the construction work in the complex has already been fulfilled. The construction on the lift base is to finish before the beginning of next year. A building with floor space of 18,327 sq m to have along with an administrative center, a restaurant, a hotel and other service facilities was constructed there. In addition, parking, a kindergarten, a ski rental service, a terrace, shops will operate here. Besides, six down-runs with overall area of 37.6 hectares will also be created there.
Currently, within the first phase of the construction cable-railways are being built to deliver tourists to the ski slopes. Installation of elevators #2, 4 and 9 has been finished. Construction of elevator #3 with length of 1,484 m approaches to the end. Construction of a snow generating station, roads, electric lines, sewer systems, communication lines and water pipes is underway. 80% of communication works in the complex has already been completed. A system of artificial snow is being created for tourists riding on skis. In this regard, all downhill were installed snow generators. Preparation of this system test is being conducted. At the same time there were bought special machines for collection and retention of snow.
Construction of a 26-apartment house for the personnel to work in the complex is under way as well. The house will have laundry, parking for 44 cars, a sports center and other ancillary areas.
To provide the tourist complex with external communication it is expected to build some objects. This includes a 35-km sewer system, a water pipe with a treatment plant, a 20-km fiber-optic communications line, a 110 KV electric line with length of 31 km, a 35.7 km gas pipeline of medium pressure. The second stage includes laying of ski lifts #10-14, a club with a golf course, a restaurant, a four-star hotel, a building for staff, youth center "Shahdag", which includes small hotels, a guest house, sports facilities, and a 900-seat local relax hotel network, a horse farm, the disco building for 200 people. The third and fourth stages will include expansion of the network of roads, recreation and entertainment sites.
The four-star hotel designed for 340 people will offer services of a SPA-center, a swimming pool, a ski school, rental center sports equipment, a cafe, a bar, a conference hall. Besides, the hotel will have parking for 149 cars. Next to it construction of another five-star hotel will begin in the near future.

Fineko/abc.az