Saudi Entertainment Ventures announces SAR1.3 billion entertainment destination in Aseer

The Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has announced their fifth entertainment destination in the Kingdom and the first in the Aseer region.

With an investment value of more than SAR1.3 billion, the entertainment destination is strategically located between the cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait, near Abha International Airport. The development is set on a land size of 64,000 square metres with a built-up area of more than 79,000 square meters.

The architecture was inspired by the ancient stone buildings of the area to highlight the identity of Aseer. The design aligns with the principles of The Urban Code of Aseer Region which aims to promote excellence in urban planning, design, landscape and architecture, while respecting the identity of the region.

“Aseer region is witnessing an unprecedented renaissance across different sectors and verticals through the endless support from our leadership. SEVEN’s entertainment destination in Abha is one of the key projects in Aseer which will support our ambition to become a global destination all year round,” said Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Chairman of Aseer Development Authority “ASDA.”

SEVEN Abha will be home to eight unique attractions which includes a family entertainment centre offering various experiences from arcade games, unique world-class rides to virtual reality areas. There will be a Discovery Adventures jungle-themed edutainment attraction created in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, an outdoor jungle-themed attraction that provides exciting educational entertainment experiences; a PLAY-DOH themed entertainment centre that taps into children’s creativity and imagination under license by leading toy and game company Hasbro; and a 12-hole indoor golf adventure area with the latest technology for an immersive gaming experience.

Visitors can experience a full range of live entertainment events at the multipurpose venue, indoor e-karting on multi-level tracks, a 10-lane futuristic bowling concept, a 10-screen cinema from AMC and many more fun-filled experiences all under one roof. In addition, SEVEN will bring a wide range of retail and F&B offerings with something to suit everyone.

SEVEN has partnered with leading companies in their fields to design the entertainment attractions in Abha including Cundall, Theme 3, Top Notch, Holofice, Thinkwell and Sea Quest.

“Abha represents another ambitious project in the framework of our efforts to support the entertainment sector across the Kingdom following the objectives and goals of Vision 2030. We are forecasting a GDP contribution of more than SAR4 billion and over five million visitors by 2030. In addition to creating more than hundreds of direct and indirect jobs for the people of Aseer region,” stated Abdullah AlDawood, Chairman, SEVEN.

“We have been keen, in cooperation with the Aseer Development Authority and under the direct supervision of Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, to ensure that the architectural design of the destination is inspired by the ancient heritage of the region, while providing unique and distinctive entertainment attractions for guests of all age groups, enriching their quality of life. We extend our sincere appreciation to our strategic partners for supporting our efforts to develop the entertainment landscape in the region,” he added.

Overall, SEVEN is investing more than SAR50 billion to build 21 entertainment destinations which will provide unique and innovative world-class entertainment experiences and global partnerships from within the sector. The upcoming projects are located in 14 cities across the Kingdom including Riyadh, Kharj, Makkah, Jeddah, Taif, Dammam, Khobar, Al Ahsa, Madinah, Yanbu, Abha, Jizan, Buraidah and Tabuk.