Qiddiya (Project)
Qiddiya is a Saudi entertainment project announced by Crown Prince and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund, Mohammed bin Salman, on April 7, 2017, as a unique entertainment, sports and cultural destination. The project’s ground-breaking ceremony was attended by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, on April 28, 2018. [1]
Project location
The project is located in the Al-Qiddiya area, 40 kilometres southwest of Riyadh city, one hour away from King Khalid International Airport and 40 minutes away from downtown Riyadh.[2] The project area includes the historic corridor used by pilgrims travelling from Riyadh to Makkah and Madinah before the emergence of modern transportation. The site overlooks the Tuwaiq Escarpment, one part of the Najd Plateau, making it an attractive location distinguished by its unique heritage elements and its exceptional desert view. [3]
Origin of the name
The area was named after the road linking Al Yamamah with the Hijaz called “Abu Qad.” The area also includes “Wadi Qiddiya,” which pours into Wadi Namar and Wadi Hanifa. [4]
The area
The project is located across an area of 334 square kilometres and it’s planned to be one of the largest entertainment destinations in the world at 2.5 times the size of Disneyworld.[1]
Ownership
Qiddiya is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and is being developed by Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC), which was established on May 10, 2018, as a closed joint stock company. One of the partners announced so far is Six Flags who will create the first Six Flags-branded amusement park in the Middle East.Reuters[5]
Services
Qiddiya plans to offer more than 300 of leisure and educational facilities in line with international standards to attract local, regional and international tourists.[1] The project includes theme parks, shopping and entertainment centers, and sports facilities capable of hosting international tournaments, in addition to training academies, desert and road racetracks for motorsports enthusiasts, residential units for ownership and rent, and hotels and restaurants.[1]
Project aims
The project seeks to contribute to efforts to diversify sources of national income by recapturing the 30 billion USD that Saudis spend annually on foreign tourism. The project also aims to develop the entertainment sector while preserving the natural environment, and will provide tens of thousands of job opportunities for Saudi citizens. [5]
Construction stages
The project has been planned in three phases.[6]
- Phase I (2017 to 2022): The first phase began with the project’s launch by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s announcement in 2017. Ground was broken in 2018 and the opening of the first phase will be in 2022.
- Phase II (2023 to 2025): The second phase includes further development of the main complexes and the provision of about 4,000 housing units.
- Phase III (2026 to 2035): The third phase includes the growth of the Giga-project from 2026 until 2035.[7]
Five Cornerstones
Qiddiya plans to develop an array of leisure and educational facilities designed around five cornerstones:
- Parks & Attractions, including amusement parks, water parks and tourist destinations.
- Sports & Wellness, which will provide programs and facilities of different types for sports enthusiasts and professional athletes, as well as infrastructure able to host international competitions, training facilities and global academies.
- Motion & Mobility, offering air sports and motorsports on both racetracks and off-road.
- Nature & Environment to allow visitors to explore outdoor areas through activities and adventure.
- Arts and culture, which will include facilities and programs that offer visitors a variety of artistic pursuits, including traditional and contemporary arts, exhibitions, and cultural and educational events.[2]
There will also be a range of real estate, commercial and hotel options, along with community services.
Organisational structure
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman holds the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qiddiya Investment Company and Michael Reininger is the Chief Executive Officer. Reininger has 30 years of experience in developing mega-projects through his work in international companies such as Walt Disney, Bright Line, and AECOM.[3] The advisory board includes 11 international experts in various fields:[8]
- Alex Kyriakidis, President and CEO of Marriott Worldwide in the Middle East and Africa.
- Alistair Gosling, Founder and CEO of Extreme International.
- Bill Reese, Executive Director of the International Youth Foundation.
- Bob Ward, Founder of Strategic Insights & Creative Imagination.
- Gilda Pérez Alvarado, Deputy CEO of JLL Hotels and Hospitality Group.
- Maxwell Anderson, President of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation and former President of the Association of Art Museum Directors.
- Michael Johnson, Founder of Michael Johnson Performance.
- Michael Pask, Founder of Michael Pask Advisory.
- Rosa Zeegers , Executive Vice President of Consumer Products & Experiences at National Geographic.
- Stephen Schwarzman, Chairman and CEO and co-founder of Blackstone.
- Tim Richards, Founder and CEO of Vue International.
Related links
- Official website: qiddiya.com
- Twitter account: twitter.com/Qiddiya
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/qiddiya-investment-company
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Vivarelli, Nick. "variety.com". variety. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Qiddiya: The Future Iconic Entertainment Destination of the Kingdom". destination ksa. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.CS1 maint: Unfit url (link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Curtain up: Work begins on KSA's landmark entertainment, sport and culture destination". arabnews. 29 April 2018.
- ↑ محمد, الحربي. "المشروع الترفيهي العالمي.. ما معنى "القدية"؟". العربية. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kalin, Stephen. "Saudi Arabia launches multi-billion dollar entertainment resort" (28 April 2018). reuters.
- ↑ مشروع «القدية».. عوائد مالية لتنويع مصادر الدخل ونقلة نوعية في الارتقاء بمتطلبات المواطنين صحيفة الرياض , نشر في 25 أبريل 2018 ودخل في 29 أبريل 2018. Archived 2018-04-25 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ Najdi, yaser. "تعرف على مراحل مشروع القدية.. البداية من مدينة المغامرات والألعاب المثيرة "Six Flags"". Sabq. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
- ↑ "Prince Mohammed bin Salman announces Saudi plans for largest entertainment city". Alarabiya English. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
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