Saudi Entertainment Ventures (Seven), a fully owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has unveiled a 1.3 billion Saudi riyal ($346.6 million) entertainment complex in the Aseer region as part of the kingdom’s economic diversification strategy.
Named Seven Abha, the development spans 64,000 square meters, with a built-up area exceeding 79,000 square meters. This marks Seven’s fifth project in Saudi Arabia and is strategically positioned between the cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait. Global architectural firm Gensler has designed the project, with Modern Building Leaders handling construction.
Seven anticipates that the project will contribute over 4 billion riyals to the GDP, draw in more than five million visitors by 2030, and generate “hundreds” of direct and indirect jobs in the Aseer region.
Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Chairman of Aseer Development Authority, noted that the region is experiencing significant growth across various sectors, and Seven’s entertainment destination is a key element in positioning Aseer as a global year-round destination.
As part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, aimed at diversifying the economy, the country is focusing on developing its tourism sector. The new tourism law, approved last year, aims to attract more investment and increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP from 3% to 10% by 2030.
Seven is investing over 50 billion riyals to construct 21 entertainment destinations in 14 cities, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, and Dammam. The upcoming Seven Abha project will include eight attractions, such as a family entertainment center, a Discovery Adventures jungle-themed attraction, a Play-Doh-themed entertainment center, and a 12-hole indoor golf adventure area. Additionally, the complex will feature a multipurpose venue for live events, indoor e-karting on multilevel tracks, a 10-lane futuristic bowling concept, a 10-screen cinema from AMC, and various retail and food and beverage offerings. Seven has collaborated with firms such as Cundall, Theme 3, Top Notch, Holofice, Thinkwell, and Sea Quest for these attractions.
