Around 500 construction jobs are to be created at a €100m Dublin indoor ski-resort, it has been revealed.

Work on Snowtopia - a leisure and extreme sports centre at Tyrrelstown, northwest Dublin – is expected to commence this year.

The scheme will offer Ireland’s first ice climbing area, and consist of more than 10,000 square metres of "real snow" cover.

Twinlite – the developer behind the project – said construction is due to start in the spring, with the first skiers expected to slide down the slopes in late 2010.

Construction stages at the site will run in parallel with road works at the N2/N3 link, which received approval from the planning board last year.

The developer hopes the facility – which has successful sister schemes in Manchester and Milton Keynes - will provide "a little escape" during the recession.

It is expected over a million people will visit the site annually, injecting €30m directly into the domestic economy.

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The project is not dependent on government funding, and will generate up to 1,000 local jobs at the 53,937 square metre site.

Twinlite’s Rick Larkin said: "This is an Irish investment in a sustainable entertainment business and is exactly the type of innovation we need to help our economy grow.

"Snowtopia will provide a vital community facility for the area and provide young people in Dublin with a diverse range of healthy activities to pursue in their free time."

The facility will feature two ski slopes, a rock and ice climbing area, a paint-ball adventure centre, ten digital theatres, a family play and activity centre and a gym and fitness centre.

Six restaurants and cafes will be developed, in addition to three other retail opportunities.

Around 850 car spaces will be provided, located adjacent to One Five West Retail Park.

The retail development will offer 20,000 square metres of shopping space as well as a 1000 capacity car park.

The Park Plaza hotel is also part of the overall site.

Twinlite has built a community of over 4,000 people in the area along with 10,000 square metres of retail space in a neighbourhood centre.

The latest announcement is part of a 20-year, €1.5 billion development plan for the area.

"It has always been our intention to develop the land here at Tyrrelstown and this entertainment destination is part of the plan for the overall retail park," said Mr Larkin.

"We have donated 15 acres of land to the local authorities in order to encourage infrastructural development of the area and aid the intended N2/N3 link road.

"We also negotiated with other land owners to donate their land free of charge as it is vital to future development of this land," he added.

Noonan Moran Architects have reportedly been approached to design the project, with Savills appointed to represent the retail and restaurant opportunities.

(PR/KMcA)