The city of Neom, envisioned as a revolutionary project to transform Saudi Arabia’s economy beyond oil dependence, is now facing significant downsizing due to escalating costs and delays. Spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with an initial budget of £365bn, the £6.8tn mega-city’s flagship feature, The Line, was set to span 125 miles with mirror-clad skyscrapers reaching half a kilometer high, catering to a projected population of nine million. Built on a compact 34 square kilometers, The Line aimed for unprecedented efficiency in city functions, offering residents easy access to daily necessities within a short walk and a speedy 20-minute transit via high-speed rail.
Challenges in realizing the ambitious vision have led to reassessment, with a shift towards more achievable goals such as artificial intelligence data centers. The fate of The Line as a scaled-back project remains uncertain pending ongoing review. Neom’s original plans included a vast nature reserve and the Trojena mountain retreat featuring outdoor ski slopes, but delays have pushed back completion, including the cancellation of hosting the 2029 Asian Winter Games at Trojena. Notably, the only operational part of the project currently is the Sindalah Red Sea yachting resort, marked by controversy and the dismissal of Neom’s CEO following an extravagant launch event attended by celebrities like Will Smith and Alicia Keys, which raised concerns over costs.
Neom has been approached for comments regarding these developments.