Sports City Critical Study

Jeddah, KSA

Client : Jeddah Municipality Mega Projects

Scope : Urban Development Study

Status : Completed 2009

Proponent : HAK

In February 2009, the Royal Order to establish King Abdullah Sports City, which is some 70 km away from Jeddah City Center, was confirmed and finalized. HAK, recognizing the missed opportunities with regards to revitalizing Jeddah downtown in conceptualizing such mega-project, took it in its own to prepare a critical study of the current conditions and infrastructure program for Jeddah’s sports facilities.

The King Abdullah Sports City, similar but twice the size of Dubai Sports City, is budgeted to be a $4 billion mixed-use development sports development built around five major sports venues, is to be constructed north of Jeddah in a 9 million sq.m. land. It will include a 100,000-spectator football stadium, indoor stadiums, athletes’t hospital,youth hostels,golf course,sports academy, and related facilities, All will have advanced technologies that will eventually enable the Kingdom to host major Arab and international sports events. HAK does not believe that such mega-project is necessary, citing the decay and post-use conundrum that Olympic Cities in the world faced. Instead, HAK proposed a network of new and revitalized smaller sports centers and stadiums strategically distributed in Jeddah’s downtown and urban centers, uplifting citizen’s access and inclusive participation in the city’s sport program rather than promoting elitism in sports.This report was presented to HRH King Abdullah for consideration.