Riyadh, June 24 (EFE) – Saudi Arabia announced on Monday the launch of its performing arts center, expected to attract 800,000 visitors annually.

The arts center is part of the al-Qiddiya mega-tourism project being constructed south of Riyadh to serve as the country’s “capital of entertainment, sports, and culture.”

According to Al Qiddiya Investment Company, the center will feature a “unique architectural design and pioneering technology,” representing a “cultural landmark” in the ultraconservative Arab kingdom.

Located on the edge of the Tuwaiq mountain slopes on the outskirts of Riyadh, the center will have 2,400 seats across three theaters, each providing a 360-degree visual experience with kinetic and digital technologies.

The three theaters will use “advanced technology such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence,” with one theater featuring an adjustable suspension system with 500 seats mounted from the top.

The theaters are expected to host “more than 260 performances and events both indoors and outdoors each year,” the statement added.

While the statement did not provide details about the project’s cost or completion date, it highlighted that Saudi Arabia expects the center to contribute to economic growth and “provide thousands of jobs in more than 100 specialized fields.”

“It will serve as a beacon of creativity and innovation and contribute to enhancing the cultural scene in the Kingdom… a place that knows no limits to imagination,” said Abdallah bin Nasser, CEO of Al Qiddiya Investment Company.

Al Qiddiya is a mega-tourism project that began construction five years ago as part of the Vision 2030 initiative, sponsored by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which aims to diversify the country’s income sources that are heavily dependent on oil. EFE sa-fa-ssk