The Qiddiya performing arts center in Qiddya city has been awarded to a local-based company by Qiddiya Investment Company. The client company awarded the $1.4 billion contract for the project to Saudi-based Nesma & Partners. Moreover, the performing arts center project is backed by the Public Investment Fund. The arts center will include three theatres with a total of 3,000 seats, including a 500-seat suspended theatre. Moreover, it will include a cantilevered amphitheater overlooking Qiddiya City’s lower plateau. Upon completion, the center is expected to host around 200 performances each year, including theatre, music, digital art and international productions. The facility has been designed by Los Angeles-based Tom Wiscombe Architecture. On the other hand, design consultancy was facilitated by Brewer Smith Brewer Gulf. Qiddiya will open its first theme parks by the end of 2025, one of the companies working on the project said last month.
Project Factsheet
Significance:
- Saudi Arabia’s contribution to its Qiddiya giga-project to advance tourism and cultural entertainment.
- Designed to host about 200 performances annually, such as theatre, music, and digital arts.
- Supports Vision 2030 by making Riyadh a global entertainment and culture hub.
Infrastructure:
- Features three theatres with a seating capacity of 3,000, of which is a 500-seat suspended theatre.
- Boasts a cantilevered amphitheater overlooking Qiddiya City’s lower plateau.
- Designed with architectural design by Tom Wiscombe Architecture and consultancy by Brewer Smith Brewer Gulf.
Developer/Consortium:
- Awarded to Nesma & Partners, a Saudi-based construction firm.
- Commissioned by Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) and backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF)
- Integral to overall Qiddiya City master plan to the south of Riyadh.
Funding/Timeline:
- Overall project cost: $1.4 billion.
- Underway with scheduled completion before Qiddiya theme parks open in 2025.
- Full project rollout coordinated with Qiddiya’s phased development plan through 2035.
The Significance of the Qiddiya Performing Arts Center in Riyadh
The completion of the Qiddiya performing arts center is a statement of Riyadh’s dedication to promote entertainment and wellbeing. Once completed, the center is expected to attract local and domestic tourists, promoting the Kingdom’s tourism sector. Other than the performing arts center, Qiddiya city is expected to be monumental in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The project aims to promote tourism alongside other projects such as NEOM and the Red Sea project. The multi-billion-dollar giga-project southwest of Riyadh was unveiled in 2017 and broke ground in 2018. However, its opening has been repeatedly pushed back since then. The site spans 334 square kilometres (8,400 acres), about 2.5 times the size of Florida’s Disney World. Once all three phases are complete in 2035, the project aims to attract 48 million visitors a year and contribute around SAR17 billion ($4.5 billion) to Saudi Arabia’s GDP.
