2024-01-03
The Sykes - Picot line?
No, the Neom futurist linear city.
This report is from October, but I don't doubt they've been forging ahead since.
It presents with undertones of a glossy travelogue / sales pitch, but what else would we expect given the scale of the undertaking?
Strange how they have decided to house the construction workers in a new-build facility that looks remarkably like an old city, with parks, sports pitches and entertainment blocks, but maybe I'm missing something.
Still, when finished, using the inbuilt rail system people will be able to travel from one end of the city to the other in "20 minutes" - although it seems to me that if you want to get off at an intermediate point, at an average speed of 500 km/hr you might have to look slippy when detraining ...
Given the new Marina being constructed, this could well include holiday destinations so far unparalleled. It's not just the Marina - there are associated projects also under construction:
Trojina’s main attraction is its ski slopes. It will also include "a man made freshwater lake, chalets, villas, and luxury hotels with exceptional amenities such as spa and bathhouse, a ski slope roof, and microclimates" ... not to mention the "Ski Village, part of the Fun Cluster and Slope Residences in the Relax Cluster are making great progress, with ongoing basement work and detailed design work".
Also the "next major project is Sindala. A futuristic Megacity is set to open its first destination in 2024 ... This destination will feature a world class yachting area designed by an Italian designer, three mega luxury hotels, a golf course, numerous restaurants, and an upscale retail area called the Village Housing 51 Luxury Retail Outlets ... "
Neither of which developments seem to share Neom's penchant for strictly linear topography.
So will we soon be swapping our fortnight on the Costa del Sol for a long weekend in the longest city on Earth? Place your bets now ...
(13 minutes)
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