Saudi Arabian Crown Prince’s $12 trillion, desert-city dream in tatters as megaproject halted
Saudi Crown Prince’s Neom Project Faces Setbacks
The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia had ambitious plans for a futuristic city known as Neom, but those dreams have hit a roadblock.
The Neom project, touted as a sustainable urban utopia, was set to feature The Line – a massive “smart city” meant to house 9 million residents.
However, reports have surfaced that Neom has suspended work on The Line until at least 2030, redirecting funds to more critical infrastructure projects.
The state-run company behind Neom has faced cutbacks, impacting projects like the Neom Stadium and the Trojena mountain resort.
Market forces and economic challenges have forced Neom to reassess its goals, with a focus on more productive components like the Oxagon industrial port city.
The project’s scope has been scaled down, with a target of up to 100,000 residents by 2030, down from initial projections of 1.5 million.
Challenges and Changes
Neom’s CEO conducted a strategic review leading to the suspension of projects like The Cube skyscraper in Riyadh and the high-speed rail interconnector.
Redesign work on The Line’s skyscrapers is underway to reduce costs, with a focus on sustainability and energy efficiency.
Despite setbacks, Neom continues to adapt to economic realities and aims to move forward with a more scaled-down version of its original vision.
