Two mega projects launched last year – The Rig., a ‘world-first’ adventure tourism destination to be built on an offshore platform in the Arabian Gulf, and a striking stadium that will be one of the venues for the Fifa World Cup 2034 – are setting the tone for real estate development in the Eastern Province.

A key deal was signed by the Principality of the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia with the Oil Park Development Company (OPDC), a subsidiary of Saudi sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund (PIF), to develop The Rig.project, the first tourist destination in the world inspired by offshore oil platforms.

Work on Aramco’s stunning stadium is well in progress with precast slabs and beams currently being erected on site. This follows the award of a design-and-build contract to a joint venture of Belgian infrastructure major Besix and Saudi-based AlBawani.

Rising amidst an industrial landscape, the new Jubail headquarters of SABIC, one of the world’s largest petrochemical companies, has proved itself as a hub of innovation and sustainability during the past one year after its inauguration.