Backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Jeddah Central is one of the biggest leisure and tourism developments in the region, presenting an open canvas for investment in the historic city. Ahmed A. Al-Sulaim, CEO of Jeddah Central Development Company, shares his vision of the incredible development.
With phase one set for completion by 2027, what progress has been made in achieving the main goals of the exciting development?
Jeddah Central Development is a contemporary interpretation inspired directly from the layout and design principles of Jeddah's UNESCO heritage old town, AlBalad. A simple and powerful premise of learning from the past appreciating the present and inspiring the future. Jeddah Central stretches along 9.5 kilometers of waterfront in the center of the city, enjoying over 2.1 kilometers of public sandy beaches. It will be home to 17,000 new residential units, 2,700 hotel rooms, innovative office and retail space and a thriving cultural metropolis with an opera house, industrial museum, a FIFA-compliant football stadium and an oceanarium revealing the secrets of the Red Sea. Strong progress has been made with site preparation at its peak and the largest haul of construction contracts Jeddah has seen, to be awarded soon.
What are some of the main targets the development aims to achieve in terms of its scale, size and impact on the local economy?
The first phase will be fully open in 2027 and by 2030 Jeddah Central is set to create 25,000 direct and indirect jobs with over $12-billion gross value added to the economy. Jeddah is the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia, with a temperature rarely below 15°C or above 40°C, making it a welcoming, waterfront haven for leisure visitors and locals. As the gateway to Makkah, Jeddah already welcomes 12 million Umra and Hajj pilgrims a year, a figure predicted to grow to 30 million, all eager to discover more and stay a little longer.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Zachary Quinto
ZACHARY QUINTO HAS PLAYED DOCTORS BEFORE, BUT HE'S \"NEVER PLAYED a doctor like\" the one he plays on NBC's Brilliant Minds (September 23).
Adam Brody
NETFLIX KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT MILLENNIALS want, and it's to see Adam Brody and Kristen Bell fall in love.
Partners in Crime
Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt shares his delight at teaming up with Shailene Woodley again in new Amazon Prime movie Killer Heat
HOW TO FIND A WORKPLACE THAT LOVES YOU BACK
Insights from America's Top Most Loved Workplaces
MOST LOVED WORKPLACES 2024
AT A TIME WHEN WORKERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES CONTINUE TO redefine what they expect from their jobs, the companies on Newsweek's annual list of the Most Loved Workplaces in America are setting the standard for what a fulfilling workplace looks like.
Q&A LEE YARON
With 10/7, the professional became profoundly personal.
SDEROT INTERSECTION
How Jewish and Arab strangers united to rescue two little girls amidst Hamas' October 7 attack
No End in Sight
AS TENSIONS CONTINUE TO FLARE AT ISRAEL'S BORDERS, NEWSWEEK DISCOVERS HOW LIFE HAS CHANGED IN THE REGION A YEAR ON FROM THE OCTOBER 7 HAMAS ATTACKS
Thai Scammers Set Sights on US
Newsweek looks inside the Southeast Asian country's $2 billion cybercrime industry and how American citizens are now falling prey to sophisticated schemes run overseas
PARTING SHOT: Sarah Paulson
\"CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THE AIR WAS JUST FILLED WITH DUST PARTICLES and you literally could not breathe?\" That's what Sarah Paulson is tackling in her new film Hold Your Breath (October 3).