Industry News
Construction at GORO Mountain Resort is pressing ahead despite Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia. Works started in the Carpathian Mountains in October 2024 and the investment company behind the project, OKKO Group, recently shared videos of the progress on its YouTube channel. Located in the Lviv region, 681 kilometers (423 miles) from Kyiv and 161 kilometers (100 miles) from the Polish border, the entire project resort is scheduled for completion in 2029, with the first stage expected to open for the 2026-27 season.
Once fully completed, the resort will feature 41 ski trails with a length of over 75 kilometers (47 miles) across a ski area of 360 hectares (890 acres), which will serviced by two modern gondola cable cars and 11 chairlifts. The resort hopes to attract 13,000 visitors during winter or year-round three million visitors in its full size. The entire project will cover around 1,200 hectares (2,965 acres) of land and will boast Ukraine’s longest ski slopes—3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in length. Under OKKO’s construction plans, the natural terrain will be respected and all hotels and buildings integrated into the mountain. No building will be taller than 10 floors and hotels and apartments will instead cascade down the mountain, matching the surroundings in color and materials. OKKO Group is planing to only clear about 10–15% of the mountain area to create ski slopes and aims to preserve the natural environment as best as possible.
The ambitious project will be completed in several stage—the first stage will cover 127 hectares (314 acres) and is slated to be completed for the 2026-27 season. In this first stage, the resort will open with a skiable area of 107 hectares (264 acres), or 10 slopes—including Ukraine’s longest slope— which will be serviced by Ukraine’s first-ever gondola as well as two chairlifts with bubble. In addition, the first stage sees the completion of five ski-in/ski-out hotels which will be able to accommodate around 5,000 visitors a day. The total investment for the first stage is estimated to be $400 million—$300 million of which for hotel infrastructure and $100 million for recreational facilities.
According to the videos, construction at GORO Mountain Resort is moving steadily forward. As of this month, three levels of the main welcome center have been completed, which will house a technical hall, a shop and rental area, and a future restaurant with a terrace offering panoramic views. The concrete slab for the restaurant has been poured, and formwork has been dismantled in the hall. Work has also begun on the gondola garage, while crews are reinforcing the foundation slab of a supporting wall—an essential element for ensuring slope stability. Installation of panels for the building’s fourth-level stove is underway. Once finished, the new welcome center will serve as the resort’s hub, where visitors can purchase ski passes, access the restaurant via escalator or lift, rent equipment, and board the gondola for a direct ride to the summit.
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The project has created many valuable jobs in the area and while much of the mountain infrastructure equipment needs to be imported, around 25-30% can be soured locally, including building materials, furniture, textiles, and other products.
With the first stage scheduled to open in the 2026–27 season, GORO Mountain Resort faces just 14 months until completion. Beyond its importance as a ski destination, the development carries symbolic weight in western Ukraine, where large-scale projects remain rare in wartime. As Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko noted, the investment is expected to spark economic activity far beyond the resort itself and send a vital message to international investors that “despite all the risks, large investment projects with a long-term planning horizon are possible in Ukraine.” One can only hope that Ukraine can look toward a more stable and prosperous future.
