JEDDAH: Diriyah Gate Project is ahead of schedule and is set to open its first phase of assets next month, the CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority said.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News during the Saudi-South African Investment Forum held on Oct. 16 in Jeddah, DGDA CEO Jerry Inzerillo said that the project would open its first phase during the World Travel and Tourism Council in Riyadh in November.
“We are opening the beautiful Bujairy district with 20 new restaurants and 1 sq. km. of park in Wadi Hanifa, besides inaugurating three welcome centers. In addition, we’ve already finished 1,400 underground parking spaces,” Inzerillo told Arab News.
He added that the first hotels and museums in the area are set to open in 2023.
The company also signed deals with several hotels and planned to have 38 hospitality resorts.
“The Four Seasons is getting ready to break ground. We also have great ones like the Rosewood, the Oberoi, Orient Express and Raffles Hotel coming,” Inzerillo said.
He stated that the company is working closely with the Ministry of Tourism, the Saudi Tourism Authority and the Saudi Tourism Development Fund to execute these projects.
“We also have a lot of interest in foreign investment now; a lot of Gulf and Saudi investors are investing in Diriyah,” he added.
DGDA has also signed a few engineering contracts with South African companies and will soon announce a major hotel deal with a South African hotel.
The forum, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Investment, was attended by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Commerce, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel and others.