Saudi Arabia had a dream, a bit crazy but still a dream. They wanted to create The Line, a futuristic city in the middle of the desert. It was called The Line because it was literally going to be 170 kilometers of pure technology… And as you can see, we are speaking in the past tense because, after three years since its presentation, the Neom project (funded by Mohammed Bin Salman, the crown prince) does not seem to have enough funds to carry out its super city of the future.
Apparently, the initial costs have skyrocketed, there are no more foreign investments, and realistically, it has barely progressed. What was supposed to be a city without cars, without emissions, and guided by artificial intelligence now seems like it will become one of the biggest financial and technical failures the Gulf has seen in decades.
A dream that is falling apart
When it was announced in 2021, The Line was not for everyone: a completely linear city, designed to house nine million people, running on clean energy and without a single car. They called it the “economic rebirth.”
But the reality is completely different. Sources report that the Saudi sovereign wealth fund has halted the works. And out of the 170 kilometers of the city, work is only being done in a small area in the middle of the desert, where the heat, logistics, and costs have exceeded all expectations (oops, who could have imagined).
It is estimated that more cement than France produces in a year and 60% of the world’s green steel would be needed just to build the first 16 kilometers!!!! Obviously, that is impossible right now.
MBS and his struggle
For the prince, The Line was his declaration of power before the world.
“The world says our projects are impossible. We will continue proving them wrong.” Mohammed Bin Salman (the prince).
But in reality… engineers and architects admit that the original goals are unattainable before 2030, and many fear the possible anger of the heir.
No budget
The initial budget was one trillion dollars (a lot of zeros), but the first phase of Neom alone has already consumed more than 50 billion, and nothing is finished yet…
Economists believe the problem is the lack of foreign investment, because Saudi Arabia hoped to attract international funds, but they have preferred to stay out (partly due to the restrictions of the Saudi regime, which cannot go unnoticed…).
But that’s not all, there are more obstacles ahead
- The Trojena ski resort (planned site for the 2029 Asian Winter Games) is delayed.
- The luxury resort Sindalah has paused construction due to lack of funds.
Excess, improvisation, and over-ambition, we can’t call it anything else.
A threat to the ecosystem
Of course, a 500-meter-high wall designed to reflect the desert will become the graveyard of millions of birds that migrate each year from Europe to Asia.
But remember, this project was presented as a model of sustainability… when in reality it is an environmental disaster.
A mirage
The Line was born as a utopia (mirror skyscrapers, next-generation trains, artificial intelligence, no vehicles…) but it seems the harsh desert heat has melted the idea.
From Riyadh, no official cancellation has been announced yet, although government sources admit that the project will continue “at a more realistic pace,” focusing on the marina and the Red Sea resorts.
Bin Salman’s pharaonic dream lacked common sense, and now it also lacks funds and means. Saudi Arabia wanted to build the city of the future… and may end up creating the most expensive monument to political vanity…