Work begins in Saudi on $293m Yanbu entertainment centre

Seven

Saudi Entertainment Ventures (Seven) has started work on its new SAR1.1 billion ($293.27 million) entertainment centre in Yanbu.

The Yanbu project is part of Seven’s SAR50 billion plan to build 21 entertainment destinations in the kingdom.

The company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has awarded the contract to a joint venture between local firms – Al Bawani Company and UCC Saudi – to build the new entertainment destination along the seafront promenade on Al Nawras Island.

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No financial details of the contract were disclosed.

Gensler, a US-based architecture, design and planning company, designed the project.

Seven chairman Abdullah AlDawood said the entertainment destination is inspired by Yanbu’s beautiful natural seascape and the city’s rich history as one of the oldest ports in the kingdom. 

Seven’s investment will support Yanbu’s growing population to meet its entertainment needs, said Fakher Al Shawaf, chairman and group CEO of Al Bawani.

The project will be an immersive carnival-themed family entertainment centre. Other attractions include a Clip ‘n Climb facility, a junior family entertainment centre, a 10-screen cinema, a neon 10-lane bowling centre and an indoor adventure golf course.

Seven has commenced construction of its entertainment destinations in the Al Hamra district of Riyadh and Tabuk. The upcoming projects are in 14 cities – Riyadh, Kharj, Makkah, Jeddah, Taif, Dammam, Khobar, Al Ahsa, Madinah, Yanbu, Abha, Jazan, Buraidah and Tabuk.