As NEOM downsizes where do MbS's other Saudi mega-projects stand?

It was supposed to be a city that would not only move Saudi Arabia into a new age but also transform the way we live, yet continued low oil prices and construction delays have put the future of some of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's NEOM mega-project into question.

The latest news indicates that parts of Riyadh's ambitious urban and industrial designs for Saudi Arabia's northern Red Sea coast, as part of NEOM, will be scaled back due to cost overruns and the infeasibility of some of the designs.

It means that NEOM will no longer be the leviathan sprawling cityscape originally intended, but a dramatically reduced and more realistic development, according to the Financial Times. Other parts of MbS's Vision 2030 economic mission for the kingdom are still likely to go ahead.

We look at the current status of MbS’s mega-projects unveiled soon after he became crown prince, and what chance the designs have of being realised.

NEOM

NEOM is the cornerstone of MbS’s plan to economically transform Saudi Arabia and was planned to take up an area the size of Belgium in the northwest of the kingdom, including a range of cutting-edge developments such as The Line.

The idea was that NEOM would be a tourism, residential and entertainment hub for the region, featuring stadiums for major sporting events, futuristic cities and ultra-luxurious resorts.

Plans also included critical modern industrial elements, such as a floating logistics hub, desalination plants and green energy facilities.

Sources told The Financial Times that NEOM will now be massively cut back, with efforts potentially focused on AI and data centres.

Riyadh has said several times that the kingdom’s mega-projects could be cancelled or changed according to the economic and political demands of the country, but recent comments indicate a major rethink of the whole NEOM concept, a vision that was met with huge scepticism when it was first unveiled.

The Line

Part of NEOM was The Line, a colossal, car-free smart city with mirrored facades, lifts and trains shuttling residents around the 170km-long city.

Recent reports suggest that The Line could be massively reduced in size to as little as 2.4km in length and host just 300,000 residents by 2030, instead of a planned total of three million.

Riyadh insists that the project could be developed over time, but the initial plans for The Line are unlikely to be met.

Part of the challenge, aside from the huge and rising price tag, is logistics, with the city being built in a remote location with almost no nearby air, road, rail or port facilities, adding further headaches for developers.

Many of the infrastructural and service ideas required to make the city function remain conceptual and do not exist in reality, including a train capable of whisking residents from one end of The Line to the other in just 20 minutes, without accounting for stops along the way.

Trojena

What has been billed as the Arabian Peninsula’s first ski resort is also under review, despite Trojena being selected in 2022 to host the 2029 Winter Olympics.

A 2023 review of the project reported that the costs of constructing the ski city high in the mountains of the Tabuk region had surged by more than $10bn, along with rising hotel room prices needed to ensure profitability.

News emerged last week that the 2029 Winter Olympics at Trojena have been postponed, with South Korea and China touted as possible replacements.

The decision follows delays in construction, as it became increasingly clear the resort would not be completed in time.

Trojena Sky Village, a centrepiece within the facility, will also be downsized, though it is hoped the project could still host other winter sports events in the coming years.

Sindalah

Sindalah was intended to be a key tourist hub for Saudi Arabia, a Red Sea island boasting an 840,000-square-metre resort complex with golf courses and other leisure facilities to compete with Dubai and Sharm el-Sheikh.

The first phase of the project was unveiled in a soft launch in 2024, but the island has yet to open to the public.

Following a series of delays, plans were reportedly made to shift management of the project from NEOM to another Public Investment Fund subsidiary in an attempt to speed up development.

It remains unclear whether Sindalah will be completed according to its initial plans, amid reports of scale-backs and job cuts as construction continues slowly.

Mukaab

Mukaab was set to play a central role in Riyadh Expo 2030, seen as a global stage to showcase Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious infrastructure plans and in anticipation of the 2034 Saudi World Cup.

Mukaab is intended to be a 400-metre-by-400-metre metal cube containing a dome with the world’s largest AI-powered display and two million square metres of interior floor space, making it the largest single built structure on the planet.

When the plan was announced, Mukaab faced controversy due to similarities with the Kaaba in Mecca.

It is now being reported that work on the cube-shaped mega-structure has been suspended while experts review the development.

Regional business website MEED reported that officials working on the project were “seeking experienced suppliers and contractors to advise on the feasibility, constraints and execution strategy for using non-load-bearing modular systems for the four corner towers framing the Mukaab structure”.

This suggests the idea will not be scrapped entirely, but that elements such as scale and design may be reworked to meet economic and engineering constraints.

Diriyah

Diriyah is a planned heritage village in Riyadh, the home of the Al-Saud dynasty and a centre of Saudi and Nejdi culture, incorporating traditional architecture alongside modern design.

The project is estimated to cost around $63bn and includes homes, offices, hotels and cultural facilities.

Given its role in showcasing the kingdom’s history and identity, Diriyah is considered central to Vision 2030 and is unlikely to be scrapped or significantly scaled back.

Among the companies seeking to invest in Diriyah is the Trump Organisation, while major media organisations are already establishing a presence there. Foreign ownership laws are also expected to be eased to allow overseas buyers to purchase property.

Qiddiya

Another project likely to move forward is Qiddiya, a vast entertainment city critical to Riyadh’s growth as a regional business, residential and tourism hub.

The first Six Flags theme park outside the United States opened at the site late last year, featuring the world’s fastest and tallest rollercoaster.

The development is also set to host a World Cup stadium, a Formula 1 circuit and other sports and leisure facilities.

Qiddiya’s role in the national narrative makes its success vital to Vision 2030, with a focus on completing the project while more ambitious NEOM concepts are reassessed, the Financial Times reported.