Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — NEOM is set to unveil the first phase of THE LINE, with the groundbreaking Hidden Marina at the forefront, Denis Hickey, Chief Development Officer of NEOM, announced at the PIF Private Sector Forum in Riyadh.
"The project, a bold step in redefining urban living, will introduce a fully integrated, vertical city built in modular 800-meter sections."
"Hidden Marina, the first segment of THE LINE, will stretch 2.5 kilometers in length and rise 500 meters high. The development will comprise three interconnected modules and is expected to accommodate over 200,000 residents," Hickey stated.
"With a built-up area surpassing 21 million square meters, the scale of Hidden Marina is unprecedented, dwarfing global benchmarks such as the Burj Khalifa, which has a built-up area of just 350,000 square meters."
"The development will feature over 80,000 residential units, 9,000 hotel rooms, commercial and retail spaces, fire stations, schools, police and security services, and all the necessary infrastructure to support a self-sustaining city," he said.
"We have already deployed significant resources to lay the groundwork for this ambitious urban revolution," Hickey noted.
"More than 140,000 workers are currently engaged in the project's construction, with over 5,000 dedicated to NEOM itself. With a workforce representing over 100 countries, including 40% local Saudi talent, the initiative is a testament to NEOM's global appeal and strategic vision."
"Infrastructure development has seen an investment of over $140 billion, ensuring that essential services such as energy, water, transport, data, and communications are in place to support the emerging metropolis," he added.
"NEOM’s investment framework is structured around two key vehicles: the NEOM Investment Fund and the NEOM Investment Office," Hickey explained. "The former is focused on strategic sectoral investments, while the latter facilitates real estate partnerships."
"The NEOM Green Hydrogen Company stands out as one of the most significant initiatives," Hickey stated, "currently constructing the world’s largest green hydrogen manufacturing plant in partnership with ACWA Power. Located in the Oxagon industrial area, the facility is set to transform the global clean energy landscape."
"Further strategic partnerships have been forged, including a joint venture with DSV, the world’s leading logistics company, to build a cutting-edge logistics network from scratch," he said. "Additionally, we have partnered with Samsung on automated rebar production, revolutionizing construction safety and efficiency by automating traditionally labor-intensive processes."
"We have also recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Data Vault for a $5 billion AI-powered green energy data storage facility at Oxagon," Hickey announced. "This initiative positions NEOM as a leader in sustainable and high-tech infrastructure development."
"NEOM is not just a city but an urban revolution designed to push boundaries, redefine economies, and establish a new standard for future urban development," he emphasized. "With construction on track, NEOM’s vision of a fully integrated, futuristic metropolis is rapidly becoming a reality."
