Media & Advertising Abu Dhabi raises TV and film rebate to lure studios Abu Dhabi is hoping to attract the best of Hollywood, Bollywood and the Arab world to the emirate via an increased TV and film rebate that could save studios as much as $10 million on each production. Abu Dhabi Film Commission increased its refund for productions from 30 percent to 35 percent in October as […] December 30, 2024
Video length: 04:08 VIDEO Tech Vero Labs taps into the fan-based asset economy Vero Labs, the social networking company owned by the Lebanese billionaire Ayman Hariri, has partnered with the blockchain platform Avalanche to tap into the multi-trillion-dollar fan-based asset economy sector of the sports and entertainment industry. Last year Vero Labs acquired Tokenise Stock Exchange, a regulated global marketplace where users can buy, sell and trade fan-based […] December 24, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Media & Advertising Imax seeks investors in its vision of growth in the Gulf Imax Corporation, the US cinema technology giant, is in discussions with Gulf investors including sovereign wealth funds as it seeks to deepen its presence in one of its fastest-growing markets. The UAE and Saudi Arabia rank among Imax’s top 20 global markets, its popularity driven by rising demand for premium cinematic experiences. “We’re meeting various […] December 5, 2024
Opinion Leisure & Hospitality Dubai stand-up as cultural symbiosis – that’s a laugh Laughter Factory has evolved into a prime example of the Dubai “salad bowl” November 29, 2024
Opinion People & Lifestyle Vegas-style Sphere will light up the skies of Abu Dhabi The UAE event venue aims to elevate entertainment in the region November 20, 2024
Tourism Las Vegas’s giant Sphere entertainment centre coming to Abu Dhabi A twin of the $2.5 billion 111-metre-tall Sphere entertainment centre in Las Vegas is to be built in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) has signed an agreement with US company Sphere Entertainment to build the venue at an as yet unnamed “prime spot” in Abu Dhabi that will echo the […] October 16, 2024
Gaming Wynn Resorts says UAE site will earn $1bn in gaming revenue Wynn Resorts estimates that gaming revenue from its forthcoming resort in Ras Al Khaimah will be between $1 billion and $1.66 billion, it revealed at an investor presentation. The range assumes a UAE market size of $3 billion to $5 billion and Wynn’s 33 percent share of it, based on two more integrated resorts eventually […] October 9, 2024
Leisure & Hospitality Arabian nights: what goes on when the sun goes down A jazz festival, desert raves and sports bar are part of the Saudi plan to build a night economy September 19, 2024
Video length: 05:07 VIDEO Gaming Saudi Arabia plays the long game in a high-stakes market Saudi Arabia has so far channeled $38 billion into the esports sector through its Public Investment Fund subsidiary Savvy Games Group. This includes high-profile acquisitions such as the $4.9 billion purchase of the Monopoly Go developer Scopely and the $1.5 billion buyout of ESL FaceIt Group, one of the world’s largest esports companies. Critics have […] September 13, 2024
Video length: 04:08 VIDEO Gaming Prince Faisal: growth, not profit, is focus for esports Cost-intensive spectator events are not going to be a “serious profit generator”, Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud told AGBI, as Saudi Arabia concluded the first Esports World Cup last week. The event was watched by more than 500 million people but Prince Faisal, president of the Arab Esports Federation, said: “In esports, sustainability is […] September 4, 2024
Real Estate Sports and entertainment to push up Riyadh retail rents The sports and entertainment sectors will be key drivers in Riyadh retail rents rising by 28 percent by 2026, according to new research, with rates already up 3 percent in the past year. “The total existing retail supply in Riyadh stands at 3.6 million square metres, with around 27,050 square metres of retail space entering […] July 11, 2024
Giga-projects Futuristic architect lands arts centre in Saudi’s Qiddiya Saudi sports and entertainment city Qiddiya is to build a performing arts centre designed by leading architect Tom Wiscombe, whose futuristic building will straddle rugged mountains outside Riyadh. The centre will include 3,000 seats spread across three theatres including an amphitheatre with views of the capital. Qiddiya, one of the Public Investment Fund’s giga-projects, said […] June 27, 2024
Tech Saudi gaming company courts giants of Japan and South Korea Japanese and South Korean gaming companies such as Nintendo and Kakao are being targeted by Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group, which wants them to set up in the kingdom to make products aimed at local consumers. Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy, told AGBI: “If locally made Arabic games tap into the ancient lore and history […] June 12, 2024
Video length: 06:28 VIDEO Leisure & Hospitality Dubai Parks and Resorts refocuses on the ‘right’ customers Dubai Parks and Resorts’ decision to scrap its Bollywood Parks theme park and replace it with the football-focused Real Madrid World is the latest change it has implemented over the past two years to turn its attractions around. The strategy is part of management’s shift in focus, from satisfying investors to attracting the “right” visitors. […] May 30, 2024
Opinion Leisure & Hospitality When the saxophonist appears, it’s time to pay the bill The noise in Dubai's restaurants is the single biggest obstacle to enjoying a night out May 17, 2024
Giga-projects Largest water park in Middle East to open in Qiddiya next year The largest water theme park in the Middle East is on target to open in the city of Qiddiya next year, its developer has announced. Aquarabia, the first water park in Saudi Arabia, will have four record holders among its 22 rides, including the world’s tallest “water coaster” and tallest water slide. It will also […] May 7, 2024
Tech Jordan’s digital game spend at $82m in 2023 The total amount spent on digital games in Jordan reached $82.5 million in 2023, official data has revealed. Nearly $17 million was allocated to paid games while $7.3 million was spent on live in-game purchases, state-run Jordan News Agency said, quoting the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (Intaj). Mobile games commanded the largest […] April 10, 2024
Artificial Intelligence Dubai startup helps AI-voice cloning take centre stage A YouTube video released in January of Novak Djokovic shows the tennis star speaking fluent Spanish at a post-match press conference. While the Serbian champion is renowned for speaking several languages, in this case his voice was created by an artificial intelligence tool developed by a Dubai-based startup, Camb.ai. The original Djokovic footage was taken […] March 29, 2024
Media & Advertising MBC Group buys stake in Anghami Shares of the Abu-Dhabi-based music streaming company Anghami rose by more than 80 percent this week after the release of a regulatory filing revealed that Saudi media company MBC Group has acquired a 14 percent stake. MBC Group, through its arm MBC Ventures, purchased four million ordinary shares of the Nasdaq-listed company. The purchase was […] March 22, 2024
Construction London architect HKS to design Diriyah’s 20,000-seat Arena Saudi Arabia has hired a London-based architecture practice to design a sports and entertainment venue in Riyadh’s historic district of Diriyah, close to the site where a landmark opera house will be built. “The architecture rises from the landscape as a series of monoliths, evoking local geological formations and alluding to ancient Nadji forts and […] March 13, 2024
Banking & Finance Abu Dhabi courts celebrity investors to make its mark Abu Dhabi is increasingly turning to celebrities, from actors and comedians to boxers and writers, to increase its presence on the world stage. The UAE’s capital has attracted entrepreneurs from around the world who are investing and expanding their businesses in the emirate. Among the latest to announce plans to invest in Abu Dhabi are […] March 1, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Real Estate Casino plan tempts Dubai’s Danube to buy plots in RAK Danube Properties, a Dubai-based real estate developer, is pursuing land deals in Ras Al Khaimah as the emirate’s real estate market heats up, driven by the planned arrival of a casino. Prices for one-bedroom apartments are now matching or even exceeding those in Downtown Dubai, an upmarket part of the UAE’s commercial capital, after RAK’s […] February 27, 2024