Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Saudi Arabian Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a new multi-use development in the Muslim holy city of Mecca.
The area, called King Salman's Gate, will be 2,965 acres of floor area in the central area of the city, according to a press release.
King Salman's Gate will enhance access to Masjid al-Haram, the Great Mosque of Mecca, which is just next door. It will continue "elevating service quality, and enriching every visitor's journey, in alignment with the goals of the Pilgrim Experience Program."
The center will offer residential, hospitality, commercial and cultural experiences, the press release said. It will have about 900,000 indoor and outdoor praying spaces.
Mecca and the Great Mosque are the sites of the annual hajj or pilgrimage. About 2 million Muslims visit Mecca for the hajj each year. Islam requires every Muslim who is physically capable of completing the hajj at least once in their lifetime to do so.
