RIYADH: About 40km outside Riyadh, a new city is taking shape, guided by a long-term urban vision that places people, experience, and quality of life at its center.
Qiddiya City will span more than 360 square kilometres (three times the size of Paris) and is being developed as a fully integrated city centered on sport, entertainment, and culture. It will be home to more than 500,000 residents, welcome millions of domestic and international visitors annually, and support more than 200,000 jobs in leisure, tourism, creative industries, and business.
But for Morgan Parker, vice chair of the management committee at Qiddiya Investment Company, the ambition of the city is best understood through a single idea.
“At its heart, Qiddiya City is about play,” Parker said on the Flavors of Ambition podcast. “Not just entertainment but play as something deeply human, something that drives wellbeing, creativity, and connection.
“Some of the most powerful memories in life are experiences. A goal scored. A performance seen. A moment shared with others.”
