Saudi Arabia’s gigaproject developer Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) has awarded an estimated SR5.4bn ($1.4bn) construction contract to build the performing arts centre at Qiddiya Entertainment City.

The contract was awarded to the local firm Nesma & Partners.

The centre will have over 3,000 seats across three theatres. It will also include a cantilevered amphitheatre overlooking Qiddiya City’s lower plateau, with a 500-seat centre suspended from above.

In May, the contractors had submitted bids for the contract to build the performing arts centre at Qiddiya Entertainment City. And the firms submitted the stage two bids on 22 May.

QIC issued the tender in September last year.

In June 2024,  QIC appointed Dubai-based Brewer Smith Brewer Gulf and US-headquartered Tom Wiscombe Architecture as the project’s lead designers.

The Qiddiya City performing arts centre is one of several major projects within the greater Qiddiya development. Other projects include an e-games arena, the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, a motorsports track, the Dragon Ball and Six Flags theme parks, and Aquarabia.

The project is a key part of Riyadh’s strategy to boost leisure tourism in the kingdom. According to GlobalData, leisure tourism in Saudi Arabia has experienced significant growth in recent years.

Domestic leisure tourism trips increased to 33.76 million in 2023, up from 16.74 million in 2018. International tourist arrivals for recreational purposes increased by 600% from 2018 to 2023.

https://www.meed.com/qiddiya-awards-multibillion-riyal-performance-arts-centre