Six Flags Qiddiya (Saudi Arabia)
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CEO Michael Reininger and our development team visited the site to check on the progress of Qiddiya’s Resort Core mass grading project, where Six Flags Qiddiya, the Speed Park, the Water Theme Park and Retail, Dining & Entertainment area will be constructed.

Source: https://twitter.com/qiddiya/status/1263482916841062401/

Not directly related to the Six Flags park in Riyadh, but nevertheless important in that context:

The rapid spread of the coronavirus across the United States has already forced amusement park operator Six Flags (NYSE: SIX) to close down its parks through mid-May (at least) and slash its dividend by two-thirds.

Today, that dividend went away entirely.

In a press release issued after the close of trading on the NYSE Wednesday, Six Flags recapped the measures it has already taken, or is in the process of taking, to give it "additional liquidity and financial flexibility" to survive the coronavirus pandemic. Among these, Six Flags will:

1. Eliminate "nearly all of its seasonal labor costs."
2. Cut the salaries of employees and executives by 25%.
3. Cease advertising and marketing activities.
4. Cut $30 million to $40 million of "additional non-labor operating costs."

Now, the company is taking further measures, which will include deferring $40 million to $50 million worth of capital projects that were scheduled to take place this year, taking on an additional $131 million in debt, and suspending both the payment of dividends and the repurchasing of stock "until the earlier of December 31, 2021, or such time as the company terminates the incremental $131 million of the new revolving credit facility commitments."

Source:
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/six-flags-suspends-dividend-withdraws-guidance-2020-04-08

Large-scale mass grading work continues at Qiddiya’s Resort Core - in compliance with all the required health and safety measures - as we set out to fulfil Qiddiya’s promise for a brighter and fun-filled future.

Here's a little bit of Q1 2020 Google satellite imagery.

Six Flags site:






Qiddiya site office:

Here's the current state of the area, but that could be changing soon as groundwork begins to ramp up shortly:

Qiddiya has awarded a contract to Saudi Pan Kingdom Company (SAPAC) to build perimeter fencing as construction ramps up at the site.

SAPAC, an established Saudi construction company, will place security fencing around the entire premises of Qiddiya, the Kingdom's Capital of Entertainment, Sports and the Arts. This first layer of security will enable a slew of construction projects, set to begin this year, to begin bringing in heavy construction machinery and restrict unauthorized access to the site.

"With the signing of this 12-month contract, the first phase of developing Qiddiya's security protocol has commenced. We are proud to work with an experienced Saudi company as we set out to create the Kingdom?s Capital of Entertainment, Sports and the Arts," said Salman Al-Hubeis, Executive Director Infrastructure & Area Development at Qiddiya.

The contract work includes 440,000 sq. meters of site clearing as part of the site preparation process, 20 km of security fencing, and 23 km of cable barriers, as well as 1 million cubic meters of earthworks to be filled.

Saleh Bin Salim Al-Harbi, CEO of SAPAC, said: "For over 25 years, we've worked with leading firms in the country. We are thrilled to work with Qiddiya, a project which is set to change the landscape of entertainment in the Kingdom. To facilitate construction at the site, securing the premises is going to be the first step."

Sources: https://www.instagram.com/p/B8GeQi_nW5N/ and http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/588551

In its first construction contract of 2020, Saudi Arabia's HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud-chaired Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) has awarded a 12-month site preparation contract to Riyadh-based Abdul Ali Al Ajmi Company.

Chief Executive Officer of QIC, Michael Reininger said, QIC, which is developing the 334 square km Qiddiya gigaproject, has begun with "the mass grading and site preparation" of its two anchor development nodes: the Resort Core and the City Centre.

Six Flags is located within the "Resort Core" area.

Source: https://www.constructionweekonline.com/projects-and-tenders/262430-saudi-arabias-qiddiya-picks-abdul-ali-al-ajmi-co-for-site-preparation

Source: https://twitter.com/usainksa/status/1196689089384386561

250 km! The new six flags qiddiya park will have the largest, longest and fastest roller coaster in the world! Opening in 2023

Click on the image to play the concept video.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/StarParc.be/

Six Flags Qiddiya Unveils Park Design

Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) today unveiled the design for Six Flags Qiddiya, one of the key entertainment facilities in a new city that is being built just outside Riyadh, and is destined to become the Kingdom’s capital of entertainment, sports and the arts.

“Our vision is to make Six Flags Qiddiya a theme park that delivers all the thrills and excitement that audiences from all over the world have come to expect from the Six Flags brand, and to elevate those experiences with authentic themes connected to the location. As a place that will create indelible memories and moments of delight, telling stories that resonate with our guests is a central notion that will be evident throughout Qiddiya,” said Michael Reininger, Chief Executive Officer of QIC.

Six Flags Qiddiya will be one of the key entertainment features in Qiddiya’s first phase when it opens in 2023. The rides and attractions found in each land have been designed exclusively for Qiddiya and include many that will set world records.

“The Six Flags brand began in 1961 when we opened as our first park, Six Flags Over Texas, which was themed according to the six flags that once flew over Texas. At Six Flags Qiddiya, we return to that heritage by creating six immersive lands designed for Saudis of all ages who seek family entertainment experiences steeped in their rich culture and history. We are thrilled to be part of a project of such scale and scope and are proud to celebrate this milestone with Qiddiya,” said David McKillips, President of Six Flags International Development Company.

Six Flags Qiddiya will cover 32 hectares (79 acres) and feature 28 rides and attractions across the six lands: The City of Thrills, Discovery Springs, Steam Town, Twilight Gardens, Valley of Fortune and Grand Exposition.

The Citadel is the central hub of the park. It is covered by a billowing canopy form inspired by traditional Bedouin tents. It holds a variety of shops and cafes and transforms into an interactive show space throughout the day. From here guests can pass through gateways to enter each of the themed lands.

The City of Thrills is the embodiment of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030: a forward-looking, boundary-pushing, future city anchored in Arabic design motifs. Here visitors will find Six Flags Qiddiya’s most recognizable and anticipated thrill rides. The Falcon’s Flight, inspired by the Kingdom’s iconic raptor, will be the longest, tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, while the Sirocco Tower will break more records with the world’s tallest drop-tower ride.

Discovery Springs reflects Qiddiya’s unique and timeless relationship between the desert and the sea as its collection of rides and experiences play with elements of earth and water. It is an aquatic wonderland of waterfalls, aqueducts and geysers, as well as exotic plants and trees. This oasis offers visitors relief from the summer heat by creating the feel of a dense rainforest in the middle of the desert. Visitors to Discovery Springs will discover a first-of-its-kind interactive ride called the Sea Stallion, where riders are propelled over rivers, behind waterfalls and through trees along a custom-designed course, as they control the speed and acceleration of their horse.

Steam Town is where the past and future collide in a rugged frontier town that is powered by steam and echoes with screams. Themed around mechanical marvels and a collection of dynamic contraptions, the land’s signature ride is the Iron Rattler Mine Train. On this ride the best elements of a roller coaster are linked with a dark ride to create a hydraulic lift which releases passengers into a freefall plunge through a narrow, steam-filled mineshaft. Other key features of Steam Town include the Sawmill Falls Water Coaster which combines a roller coaster track with a splashing boat ride, a spinning mechanical ride called the Bull Rider and a custom-themed climbing structure called the Treehouse Trek.

Twilight Gardens is an oversized landscape of the imagination filled with colorful flowers and friendly creatures, all specially designed for younger visitors and their families. This enchanted land’s key features include the Twilight Express Coaster, which takes passengers through a majestic garden, the Critter Chase, an interactive dark ride set in a 3D environment, and the Kaleidoscope hot air balloon ride.

Valley of Fortune is an exciting land of adventure that takes place amidst time-worn architectural ruins of old Arabian masonry, enlivened by the activity and trade of fortune seekers from around the world. This land’s signature attraction is Spitfire, a triple-launch coaster, which will take guests into a sky roll before an acrobatic stall and a breathtaking dive back to the valley floor. Other features of Valley of Fortune include Skywatch, a hydraulic boom ride where riders are lifted into the sky, the auto-themed Treasure Trail and the Aeromax, a family plane ride that swings and rotates freely over the park.

Grand Exposition is a celebration of innovation combining the nostalgia of traditional carnival midways with the greatest feats of science and technology such as the Gyrospin Pendulum, which swings riders to record heights. It is also home to Six Flags’ classic and most loved coaster Colossus, a gravity-driven wood-steel hybrid roller coaster that stretches over an 800-metre track. The land also features the Arabian Carousel, where Arabian horses march in a circular parade, the Expo Flyer swinging ride and Automania, with bumper car attractions themed as London cabs.

With an incredible mix of rides and attractions throughout six unique lands, Six Flags Qiddiya is set to become the theme park that breaks all records for family fun and entertainment in the Kingdom.

Sources: https://qiddiya.com/en/press-release/six-flags-qiddiya-unveils-park-design and https://www.arabianbusiness.com/travel-hospitality/426581-saudi-arabias-six-flags-qiddiya-to-debut-worlds-longest-tallest-fastest-roller-coaster-in-2023 and https://content.sixflags.com/qiddiya/about-the-park/