The Snowball ski complex has collapsed on people again. What you need to know

During the dismantling of the Snezhkom ski complex in Krasnogorsk, Moscow region, an incident occurred again. Three people were injured by the fall of a part of the structure on November 11, and in 2024, a welder died at the site of the demolition of the facility. For 17 years, Snezhkom has had the only year-round ski slope in Russia, but now its territory can be built up with residential buildings. What you need to know about the infamous sports complex is in the Izvestia article.

Incidents at the Snezhkom

• On November 11, a support collapsed at the dismantling site of the Snezhok ski complex in the Pavshinskaya floodplain of Krasnogorsk. A massive part of the concrete structure fell to the ground from a height. The impact caused a wave of earth dust to rise, which covered the nearby parking lot and the roadway of Krasnogorsky Boulevard. The video from the scene shows how an excavator was working near the site of the collapse, and a passerby was walking along the sidewalk next to the Snowball.

• Three people were injured due to the collapse of the support: two men and one woman. One of the victims was taken to the emergency room, the rest refused to be hospitalized after being examined by doctors. Also, concrete fragments of the structure damaged more than 140 cars and the glazing of nearby houses. The windows were damaged in at least six apartments. The roadway was closed for a while until the road services cleared the area.

• The administration of Krasnogorsk reported that the dismantling work is being carried out by Razvitie LLC, and the incident was her fault. This contractor will cover the costs of repairing damaged cars. The Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Moscow region has opened a criminal case on violation of safety rules during construction work, according to which the perpetrators face a penalty of up to three years in prison. Investigators and criminologists began work at the scene of the incident.

• This is not the first time that an emergency occurred at the site of the dismantling of the former ski complex, which led to sad consequences. In December 2024, a metal beam fell to the ground, on which a welder was working at that time. He was seriously injured and died in an ambulance.

Why are they being demolished with a "Snowball"

• Snezhkom was closed in January 2022. At that time, it was reported that the complex was in disrepair and had to undergo reconstruction. However, at the end of the year, it was announced that it would be completely dismantled, and work on dismantling the structures began in March 2023. They were originally planned to be completed by the end of 2024, but they are still ongoing.

• In March 2025, the territory of Snezhkom with an area of 6.3 hectares became the property of R1-Regal. It is still unknown about specific plans for building on the site of the former sports complex. Shortly before the latest incident with the "Snowball", the administration of Krasnogorsk published its proposals for a master plan for the development of the city for the next 20 years.

• According to them, the territory will be given over to a zone of mixed and public-business development, as well as a polyclinic will be located on it. At the same time, public hearings on the general plan are still ongoing, and residential buildings may be approved based on their results.

How the "Snowball" appeared

• Snezhkom opened in 2008 and became the first and only all-season ski resort in Russia. The developer was the SU-155 developer. The complex received a closed snow slope 365 m long, 60 m wide and with a height difference of 65 m. He allowed skiing and snowboarding at any time of the year.

• Snow was produced using ice-crash technology by crushing ice to the state of snow in refrigerating machines. Snezhkom's ice generators produced 90 tons of snow per day and maintained a 50 cm thick snow cover. Two snow trucks with exhaust gas purification systems were engaged in snow compaction. In addition to the main slope, the Snowball was equipped with a ski lift and a snowboard park with many structures for performing tricks. A special feature of the complex was the presence of a glass partition that could withstand a temperature drop of 300 degrees, which made it possible to maintain a winter climate on the slope and a summer climate in the atrium of the sports complex.

• After its opening, Snezhkom enjoyed great popularity among residents of Moscow and the Moscow region, becoming the most recognizable landmark of Krasnogorsk. The problems at the sports complex began in 2015, when it became known about Sberbank's lawsuit against the developer SU-155 for non-payment of the loan. Soon the developer went bankrupt, and then the company-owner of LLC "Snezhnaya Gorka" was declared bankrupt.

• Although Snezhkom continued to operate amid the litigation, over time more and more visitors began to complain about the quality of the snow and the wear and tear of the complex. In 2017, several competitions were cancelled. In the future, the slope's attendance only dropped until it was finally closed.