01 March 2022

Two major contracts have recently been awarded for the construction of key  theme parks within the ambitious Qiddiya destination city, which is expected to be the kingdom’s future capital of entertainment, sports and the arts.

At the end of last month, Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC), which is spearheading the development of the 334-sq-km entertainment hub, announced the award of a SR2.8-billion ($750 million) deal to build Saudi Arabia’s first and the region’s largest water theme park. The contract was awarded to a joint venture of Alec Saudi Arabia Engineering and Contracting and El Seif Engineering Contracting.

The Qiddiya Water Theme Park will cover 252,000 sq m of land and will be home to 22 rides and attractions – including nine that will be world firsts. Visitors will also be able to enjoy nine innovatively designed zones inspired by the native animals that inhabit the area around Qiddiya. 

Set to be a year-round immersive family entertainment destination, the water theme park which will also feature state-of-the-art competition water sports facilities and 17 food and beverage and retail outlets. The park design will incorporate advanced environmental systems to minimise the use of water through recycling and smart usage.

Some rides have been designed to use 75 per cent less water compared to the more conventional rides found in other water parks, according to QIC. In addition, rainwater that falls on the site will be captured, treated and reused for irrigating the destination.

Qiddiya entertainment city is being built from scratch, 45 km outside Riyadh around a stark escarpment – part of the Jebel Tuwaiq mountain range that stretches over 1,000 km. 

Qiddiya’s offering will be based on five cornerstones: Parks & Attractions, Sports & Wellness, Arts & Culture, Motion & Mobility and Nature & Environment, along with a variety of real estate options and community services. The water theme park will be one of the key attractions of the Parks & Attractions cornerstone.

In December, QIC awarded a SR3.75-billion contract to a joint venture of French building and civil engineering projects pioneer Bouygues Batiment International (BBI) and Saudi Almabani General Contractors for the construction of its Six Flags theme park, a first in the region.

The theme park will cover an area of 320,000 sq m and feature 28 rides and attractions of which 10 will be thrill rides, and 18 rides designed for families and young children.

The theme park will be home to five signature rides that will break 10 world records including: Falcons Flight, the world’s tallest, fastest and longest coaster; Sirocco Tower, the world’s tallest, free-standing shot tower ride; Gyrospin, the world’s tallest pendulum ride; Spitfire, the world’s tallest inverted top hat coaster; and Iron Rattler, the world’s tallest tilt coaster. The rides and attractions at the theme park will be spread across six immersive lands.  

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