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MIDDLE EAST NEWS INBRIEF

SAUDI ARABIA’S DIRIYAH PROJECT IS ON TRACK FOR 2027 DUBAI AND THERME GROUP UNVEIL QIDDIYA ANNOUNCES PARTNER
Qiddya Investment Company has announced
INFRASTRUCTURE COMPLETION REVOLUTIONARY URBAN OASIS that it has signed a comprehensive Management
Services Agreement under which Six Flags
Entertainment Corporation, North America’s
The Diriyah Gate Development Authority’s Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo Approved by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan largest regional amusement-resort operator, will
has revealed that Diriyah’s infrastructure will be completed by 2027, bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, serve as the official operator for Six Flags Qiddiya
including 60,000 underground parking spaces and pedestrian zones. Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime City and Aquarabia Water Theme Park.
Speaking at the PIF Private Sector Forum in Riyadh, Inzerillo detailed Minister, Minister of Defence and
plans for Diriyah Square. “The commercial and cultural district, currently Chairman of The Executive Council of KEMPINSKI LAUNCHES HOTEL
under construction, features 83 tower cranes operating at full capacity. Dubai and in partnership with Dubai The Red Sea coastline has welcomed a
Once complete, it will include a 1.9km boulevard, our own version of Municipality, Therme Group announced remarkable addition to its vibrant landscape as
the Champs-Élysées, housing Saudi Arabia’s contemporary art museum, the launch of Therme Dubai - Islands in Kempinski Hotels proudly unveils Kempinski Hotel
a 20,000-seat arena, an exhibition centre, an opera house and the largest the Sky following an event held at Al Barari. & Resort Sariya Yanbu Red Sea, the brand’s second
Apple store in the world,” Blurring nature and city living, the project property in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The
The overall project, upon completion, will span 14.2 million square will span 500,000sq ft with a 100m-tall- luxurious destination offers unparalleled levels of
metres, feature 40 luxury hotels, 30,000 residences and an extensive structure and is designed to welcome luxury, comfort and personalised service.
range of retail and dining options. Adjacent to Diriyah, Wadi Safar will 1.7 million visitors annually, setting a new
host high-end resorts from Aman, Six Senses and Chetty, along with a standard for holistic and daily wellbeing. It OVENTINE OPENS DEBUT SITE
27-hole Greg Norman-designed golf course, Inzerillo commented. will feature botanical gardens suspended
from the air and cascading pools. Dubai family-run restaurant chain Al Safadi has
unveiled OVENTINE, a Levantine-inspired QSR
venue at Bay Avenue in Business Bay. The new
OPEN-AIR CINEMA AND ECO- brand focuses on flatbreads and wraps, dips, salads
and desserts. Signatures include sujouk, kafta,
TOURISM HUB COMING TO MUSCAT mousakhan and mohammara. Additional locations
are set to open across the UAE throughout 2025.

South Al Batinah Governorate is set m with five main sections, ensuring a wide OMAN F&B DEAL IS COMPLETED
to enhance its tourism and investment range of recreational activities for all ages.
Restaurants
has
International
Americana
landscape with the development of Spanning a total of 225,000sq m, Rimal completed the acquisition of the Pizza Hut
‘Rimal Park’, an integrated eco-tourism Park is strategically located near the brand in Oman from the Khimji Ramdas Group,
destination featuring an open-air cinema. main road connecting Muscat to North expanding its regional presence in the Middle East
Located at Al Abyadh Sand in Khabat Al Al Batinah, making it easily accessible for and North Africa region. The deal includes 46 Pizza
Qa’adan, Wilayat of Nakhal, the park visitors. The park will also offer camping Hut restaurants, generating an annual revenue of
aims to offer visitors a unique blend of units, an equestrian school, and various approximately $11M in 2024.
natural beauty and modern amenities. activities aimed at supporting small and
The highlight of this ambitious project medium enterprises (SMEs) in the region.
CHEVAL COLLECTION’S LATEST PROPERTY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, CHEVAL MAISON – EXPO CITY DUBAI, IS SET TO OPEN THIS MONTH WITH 151 LUXURIOUS, SERVICED BBQ BROS TO ADD NEW SITES
APARTMENTS – WHICH CAN BE BOOKED FOR ANY LENGTH OF STAY – AND A HOST OF TOP-FLIGHT BUSINESS AND LEISURE AMENITIES. CHEVAL MAISON – EXPO is a 7,806sq m open-air cinema area, Masoud bin Saeed Al Hashimi, Governor
CITY DUBAI OFFERS A RANGE OF STUNNING ACCOMMODATION, ALL WITH HIGH-END FINISHES, BEAUTIFUL FURNISHINGS AND A FULLY-EQUIPPED PRIVATE KITCHEN. designed to accommodate up to 2,000 of South Al Batinah, emphasised that the International restaurant brand BBQ Bros has
AVAILABLE FOR SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM STAYS, THE APARTMENTS INCLUDE METRO ROOMS, STUDIOS, ONE TO THREE-BEDROOM UNITS AND ROYAL SUITES. MOST guests. This open-air theatre will provide project represents a significant investment announced its plan to open eight dining outlets in
HAVE AT LEAST ONE BALCONY, WITH SOME DIRECTLY OVERLOOKING AL WASL PLAZA. THE PET FRIENDLY PROPERTY ALSO BOASTS A RANGE OF DINING OUTLETS the UAE by 2027. A joint venture with Beetroot
INCLUDING AN ALL DAY RESTAURANT NAMED TEN-11. an unforgettable cinematic experience opportunity and aims to transform Hospitality will see a first location opening by
under the stars, surrounded by the the area into a premier eco-tourism August 2025 in Dubai Creek. Currently, BBQ Bros
NEOM UNVEILS 2.5KM HIDDEN SAUDI ARABIA TO HOST breathtaking natural landscape. destination. The park’s location, coupled has established operations in Belgium, Lebanon,
In addition to the cinema, the park will
with its diverse attractions, is expected to
Egypt and Kuwait.
MARINA AS PART OF THE LINE ESPORTS GAME IN 2027 feature an entertainment area of 24,814sq draw both local and international tourists.

NEOM, the developer of a mega futuristic city in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia is set to make history by hosting the first-ever Olympic
is set to unveil the first phase of its mega project The Line, with the Esports Games in 2027, a landmark achievement in the country’s
groundbreaking Hidden Marina - a 2.5km-long development with a built- ambitious quest to become a global leader in gaming and esports.
up area of over 21 million square metres - at the forefront. This announcement, made by the International Olympic Committee,
Hidden Marina, the first segment of THE LINE, will stretch 2.5km coincided with the ongoing LEAP 2025 Tech Conference in Riyadh.
in length and rise 500m high. The development will comprise three It follows a 12-year agreement with Saudi Arabia aimed at engaging
interconnected modules and is expected to accommodate over 200,000 younger audiences, with a six-member committee tasked with selecting
residents. On completion, the development will feature over 80,000 the games to be featured as part of the effort to integrate esports into
residential units, 9,000 hotel rooms and commercial and retail spaces in the Olympic framework.
addition to fire stations, schools, police and security services, it stated. Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman of the Saudi Esports
“The project, a bold step in redefining urban living, will introduce a Federation, shared his thoughts during a panel discussion titled “Gaming
fully integrated, vertical city built in modular 800m sections,” remarked Beyond Entertainment: Reimagining Society and Shaping the Future of
Denis Hickey, the Chief Development Officer of NEOM, at the PIF Saudi Arabia.” He stated during this that: “We anticipate hosting multiple
Private Sector Forum in Riyadh. editions in the future.”

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