Saudi Arabia's Diriyah awards US$5 billion contracts in H1 2025

Development at Diriyah, Saudi Arabia’s historical, cultural and lifestyle destination outside Riyadh, continues to gather pace with more than US$5 billion in contracts awarded in the first half of 2025.

 

The latest contracts include the Royal Diriyah Opera House and multi-purpose venue Diriyah Arena. In July, the contract for Diriyah Square’s retail precinct, comprising 73 buildings and 400 stores, was awarded to Italy’s WeBuild Group.

 

Backed by the PIF sovereign wealth fund, the US$63.2 billion, 16-million-square-kilometre mega-project includes the ancient desert fortress At-Turaif, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and will eventually be home to 100,000 people.

 

More than 3.6 million people have now visited Diriyah since the dining destination Bujairi Terrace and heritage At-Turaif District opened in December 2022, with a target to reach 50 million annual visits by 2030. 

 

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Dubbed the City of Earth, Diriyah is already home to museums, galleries, restaurants, retail and a luxury hotel – the Bab Samhan, A Luxury Collection Hotel.

 

When complete, Diriyah will have 40 luxury hotels, 300 branded residences, 1,000 shops, 150 restaurants and cafes and 26 arts and culture centres – plus a Greg Norman-designed Wadi Safar Signature Golf Course.

 

Last week, the launch of The Chedi Residences Wadi Safar added to a prestigious list that includes Aman Residences and Armani Residences, and will be adjacent to the 85-key The Chedi Hotel.

 

Ritz-Carlton, Six Senses, Waldorf Astoria, Taj, Aman, Four Seasons, Park Hyatt, The Langham, Orient Express, Anantara, Montage, Oberoi, Baccarat, Corinthia, Rosewood, Raffles, Address, Treehouse, Faena and Fusion are all heading to Diriyah, with most hotels due for completion by 2027 for Diriyah’s tricentennial.

 

A museum dedicated to Saudi heritage and culture will also open in Diriyah. The Misk Heritage Museum Asaan design will be inspired by local Najdi architecture but interpreted by Zaha Hadid Architects.

 

For more information, visit www.diriyah.sa