Philippe Gas has insisted there are no boundaries when it comes to the potential for Saudi Arabia’s $8 billion giga-project Qiddiya.
It may only be a matter of weeks since he took over as CEO of Qiddiya Investment Company, but the Frenchman is under no illusion in terms of the challenges and, more significantly, the opportunities that the massive 334 sq km development, situated 45km from Riyadh, offers.
His predecessor Michael Reininger had previously indicated a desire to bring Formula One racing to what is being dubbed Saudi Arabia’s future capital of entertainment, sports and the arts (Jeddah will host the kingdom’s first ever F1 race next year).
Although he wouldn’t be drawn on specifics, Gas told Arabian Business there would be no limits placed on hosting future events.
He said: “Definitely motorsport is going to be a key focus for us. I would expect to see exciting things to be announced in the very near future.
“We don’t want to give ourselves any limits. Qiddiya will be like nothing you have ever seen before. There will always be something happening at Qiddiya, from large events, musical events, festivals; whether it’s modern and international or more traditional celebrating the Saudi culture.”
The site is half the size of Singapore and two-and-a-half times bigger than Walt Disney World, a company Gas knows very well, having spent 30 years with them, most recently serving as president and managing director of Walt Disney Attractions Japan & Disneyland International.
“At some point you become a one company man and you think your life is going to go on like that. It has been great, so it’s not like I was feeling in any way, shape or form bad, but suddenly for some reason the world changes and I’m not talking about Covid; my world changed,” said Gas.
Philippe Gas, CEO of Qiddiya Investment Company
And while many things were forced to change as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic, he revealed that the Qiddiya project, which is backed by the Saudi Crown Prince’s Public Investment Fund, remains on track.
He added: “To date there has been no delays or situations that have impacted negatively the Qiddiya project because of the virus. We’ve had no impact, neither timing-wise or budget-wise.”
Gas was also previously CEO of Euro Disney SCA, the first tourism destination in Europe, for seven years and then successfully led the launch of Shanghai Disney Resort, The Walt Disney Company’s first theme park in mainland China and its largest international investment to date.
He said: “From my own personal experience and my professional past, especially the closest one to me which is the work I had and the leadership role I had on the development opening and running the business in Shanghai, I would say it’s the similar muscles to use, just at a different type of athletic level in terms of the intensity of what the muscle is going to be put through, but it’s pretty much the same type of activities in the sense that it’s a brand new type of business, in a very new industry, in a very new market. It’s going from a start-up to running a full-grown business.”
Spread over a lower plateau and atop an imposing cliff face, Qiddiya will be home to over 300 recreational and educational facilities designed around: Parks & Attractions, Sports & Wellness, Motion & Mobility, Nature & Environment and Arts & Culture. There will be a Six Flags theme park as well as a speed park and water theme park, major sports stadiums, the motor-racing track, arts venues, a creative village and a plethora of hotels, retail, dining and entertainment options.
The first phase, which is due to be delivered in 2023 involves more than 45 projects, including what has been described as the “most unique” Six Flags ever built, complete with 12 record-breaking attractions, the world’s longest, tallest and fastest roller coaster and the world’s tallest drop-tower ride.
Gas said: “Projects like Qiddiya will be key for the kingdom in its ability to change its international perception, to change people’s view of what Saudi is and will create curiosity and interest for people to come and visit and discover that Saudi is actually an amazing place, a very diverse place, a very vibrant place and we want Qiddiya to reflect that.”
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