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
Media & Advertising Saudi Arabia sets up Big Time film investment fund Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority has set up the Big Time investment fund to support pan-Arab cinema, in Riyadh’s latest push to develop soft power through sports and culture. The authority’s head Turki Alalshikh said during a visit to Cairo that the entertainment authority would act as the Big Time fund’s main sponsor along with […] February 19, 2024
Construction Seven plans entertainment sites in remote parts of Saudi Arabia Saudi giga-project developer Seven says it will open the first of 21 destinations next year as part of its mandate to build entertainment complexes in remote corners of the country. It plans to roll them out over the next six years. Damien Latham, chief attraction officer at the Public Investment Fund subsidiary, said Seven had […] January 25, 2024
Media & Advertising Poddster builds on Mena’s podcast popularity Poddster aims to “democratise” Middle East podcast production by expanding its network of recording studios, capitalising on high listener figures and rising interest in independent content in the Mena region. Founded by Vuk Zlatarov and Ivan Zeljkovic, the Dubai-based podcast company plans to increase its number of UAE studios from three to seven, and launch […] January 12, 2024
Media & Advertising Coming to a movie theatre near you … AlUla It would make the perfect setting for Star Wars or Indiana Jones, but AlUla is developing production facilities that will expand its reach beyond sci-fi and desert adventure movies, making it one of the region’s prime locations for international shoots. The tourist location in northwest Saudi Arabia is fast developing into a mini-city with an […] December 24, 2023
Media & Advertising Modern Saudi gets its close-up at Jeddah film festival The new Saudi Arabia seen on screen at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah is barely recognisable from the country where religious mores prevented the mingling of unrelated men and women, and suspicions of foreigners cast a long shadow. Among the stories being told at this month’s festival are those of a young […] December 18, 2023
Media & Advertising Saudi’s MBC Group prices IPO at top of the range Strong investor demand has led Saudi media company MBC Group to price its initial public offering (IPO) at SAR25 per share, the top of a range published earlier this month. The price implies a market capitalisation of SAR8.3 billion ($2.2 billion) at listing, said IPO manager HSBC in a filing to the Saudi Stock Exchange […] December 12, 2023
People & Lifestyle Saudi film festival showcases growing movie industry The third Red Sea Film Festival kicked off in Jeddah last week, highlighting the city’s rejuvenation as part of Saudi Arabia’s economic reform plans and rapid growth of its movie industry. Stars including Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Sharon Stone, Catherine Deneuve and a coterie of Saudi directors and actors graced the red carpet for gala […] December 4, 2023
People & Lifestyle Saudi Arabia wins bid to host World Expo 2030 Saudi Arabia will host the World Expo 2030 in Riyadh, surpassing bids from Busan in South Korea and the Italian city of Rome. A total of 119 countries endorsed Riyadh’s candidacy during the 173rd general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) held in Paris, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported. The World Expo […] November 29, 2023
Media & Advertising More deals likely to follow OSN+ and Anghami merger The merger last week between OSN+ and Anghami will lead to more consolidation in the region’s streaming sector, industry experts have said. Kuwait’s Kipco-Panther Media Group, which operates as OSN, will combine its streaming service OSN+ with Anghami’s music and entertainment business to create one of the Middle East’s largest streaming platforms. The Europe, Middle […] November 27, 2023
Media & Advertising Saudi media company MBC Group to float 10% in IPO Saudi media major MBC Group plans to launch an initial public offering (IPO) on the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul). The announcement comes after the Capital Market Authority (CMA) approved the company’s plan to offer 33.25 million ordinary shares, representing 10 percent of its share capital. The offering price will be determined at the end of the […] November 22, 2023
Media & Advertising OSN+ and Anghami merge in $50m streaming service deal Middle East streaming service OSN is set to invest $50 million in music streamer Anghami as part of a deal to merge the two companies. Kuwait’s Kipco-Panther Media Group, which operates as OSN, will combine its streaming service OSN+ with Anghami’s music and entertainment business to create one of the Middle East’s largest streaming platforms. […] November 21, 2023
Tech Dubai to create 30,000 jobs in gaming Dubai has launched a plan to create 30,000 jobs in the gaming industry by 2033. Its Program for Gaming 2033 aims to increase gaming’s contribution to the digital economy to $1 billion within a decade. The emirate’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the strategy also aims to position it […] November 3, 2023
Tourism UK singer Robbie Williams reveals Dubai hotel plan UK pop singer Robbie Williams has revealed plans to build a hotel resort in Dubai. The 49-year-old former member of Take That, who performed in Abu Dhabi last month, told Wondery’s Brydon & podcast that he is building a 700-room hotel in Dubai. He explained to host Rob Brydon that the development was spurred by […] November 2, 2023
Leisure & Hospitality Lottoland founder sets sights on $1bn Dubai lottery The founder of the global lottery betting platform Lottoland has revealed plans to launch the world’s first $1 billion overnight jackpot in Dubai. David von Rosen-von Hoewel told AGBI he is set to hold talks with the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA). The UAE’s new industry watchdog was established earlier this month, which will lay […] September 26, 2023
Business of Sport Saudi-backed martial arts league aims for $1bn business The Middle East arm of the Professional Fighters League will be a billion-dollar entity within the next decade, according to its founder. Mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation PFL Middle East is set to launch in the second quarter of 2024, spurred by a reported $100 million cash injection from Saudi Arabia’s SRJ Sports Investments. It […] September 18, 2023
Opinion Leisure & Hospitality Gaia shouts ‘Made in Dubai’ at the world Gaia could be a rare phenomenon: a brand native to Dubai and the Middle East that goes global September 15, 2023
Leisure & Hospitality Lottoland boss hails UAE move to set up gaming regulator The entrepreneur behind the global lottery betting platform Lottoland has described the UAE’s new gaming regulatory authority as “big news”. David von Rosen-von Hoewel told AGBI that he looks forward to working with authorities to roll out lottery products in the UAE next year and beyond. “The UAE now has the chance to build the […] September 4, 2023
Lifestyle Animated film helps revive Turkish cinema An animated film about children who help aliens stranded on Earth return to their home planet has helped revive the Turkish cinema industry after it slumped during the Covid lockdown. Rafadan Tayfa: Galaktik Tayfa, the third in a series of films spun off from a popular Turkish children’s TV show, has earned $6.7 million so […] June 28, 2023
US music company taps into Saudi hip hop with new deal Abu Dhabi’s PopArabia and Nasdaq-listed Reservoir Media have bought some of the song catalogue of Saudi Arabian hip hop label Mashrex, and will jointly release new music through the specialist label. In a similar deal last September, PopArabia and Reservoir Media acquired Lebanon’s Voice of Beirut. The US company says it aims to become the […] June 21, 2023
