In 2027, the World Championships will be held in Falun. The artificial snow system at Lugnet has already been upgraded — but it ended up costing twice as much as planned. Now, another million-dollar expense is on the way.

In less than a year and a half, the 2027 Nordic Ski World Championships will take place in Falun, Sweden. Last year, the artificial snow system at Lugnet was upgraded, but the cost doubled from the planned 5 million to a final bill of 10.3 million SEK (around 1.08 million dollars).

That overrun led to the suspension — and eventual resignation — of recreation director Tomas Jons.

Renovation needed

Now, according to FaluKuriren, a new financial blow has emerged, again linked to the artificial snow system.

The water pipes need renovation, which will cost around 8–10 million SEK (US$830,000 – US$1,047,000). The pipelines and pumps that transport water from Kålgården to Lugnet date back to the 1980s. In total, about 1,100 meters of pipes need internal renovation.

To ensure the municipality can produce snow in the future, the renovation is deemed necessary.

“If the pipes were to break, the dam at Skyttepaviljongen could empty within 6–10 hours. Over the past three to four years, emergency repairs have been required on three occasions. Each repair takes about a day, and during that time, snow production is significantly limited,” the report states.

Several major events are ahead

In the coming years, Falun and Lugnet will host several major events. First comes the 2027 Nordic Ski World Championships, followed by the Junior World Championships in 2028. Therefore, according to the report, the renovation is crucial — otherwise, snow production for the championships could be at risk.

The Department of Culture and Recreation is responsible for snow production, so the cost will likely fall under their budget and go through the usual decision-making process, according to department head Ulrika Gustafsson.

“We will handle the cost through investment planning for 2026. Work on next year’s budget and investments is ongoing, so we’re fairly well on track,” Gustafsson told FaluKuriren.

She views the renovation as a type of reinvestment:

“It’s maintenance work that would be necessary regardless of whether we’re hosting a World Championship or not. But given the major events ahead, it’s natural that this measure is prioritized now.”

Financial fiasco in Trondheim

There has been extensive coverage of the Nordic Ski World Championships in Trondheim and the financial disaster that followed earlier this year — a total deficit of 134 million SEK. Additionally, the Junior and U23 World Championships, initially planned for Granåsen, had to be relocated to Lillehammer.

Also Read: Falun 2027 alarmed by Norwegian World Championship fiasco in Trondheim

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