The Line: Saudi Arabia Scales Back Megacity Plans
Architects and developers in Saudi Arabia are drastically reducing plans for The Line, a 170km linear city central to the Neom mega-project, according to an investigation by the Financial Times (FT).
Challenges in Meeting Ambitious Goals
The FT report, based on over 20 anonymous interviews, describes how engineers and executives face difficulties realizing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s grand vision. His plans are criticized for their unrealistic designs and high costs.
A planner told the FT that Mohammed bin Salman demanded The Line "had to be 500m high and it had to be 200m across", ignoring advice that a 100m structure was more practical.
The project's scale and ambitions are said to reflect the crown prince's personal preferences. Former employees characterize him as "intelligent, hard working" but with a "weakness": "his love for fantastical, science-fiction creations."
“Somebody told [the crown prince] very early on that he could have a high-speed rail from the airport to the coast and he could do it in 20 minutes. So he wanted one,” a planner told FT.
Significant Scale-Back and Financial Implications
Since 2023, The Line's plan has been reduced from 20 modules to just three. A senior construction manager has even labeled the project “uninvestible.”
At least $50 billion has already been spent, with construction entering its third year.
Author’s Summary
The Line’s ambitious design struggles with feasibility and cost, prompting a sharp scale-back despite significant investments and the crown prince’s strong personal vision.