Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 24
France, Saudi Arabia Sign €6 Billion Deal for 3 Theme Parks Near Paris
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 24

France, Saudi Arabia Sign €6 Billion Deal for 3 Theme Parks Near Paris

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 24

Summary

  • A €6 billion Franco-Saudi agreement will build three theme parks near Cergy-Pontoise, including a Dragon Ball Z-inspired manga park, with openings staged over several years.
  • Qiddiya Investment Company, part of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, will lead the project, which the Élysée said should create about 2,000 jobs.
  • Macron cast the development as France's biggest theme-park push since Disneyland Paris, while aides said the idea grew from his and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's shared interest in manga.
  • The deal came during bin Salman's two-day state visit, which also includes agreements on health, transport and energy and reflects broader French-Saudi ties as Riyadh pushes to diversify beyond oil.

Insights

Can Saudi Arabia's €6 billion manga theme park succeed where France's past mega-parks faced financial ruin and cultural backlash?
Is the new Dragon Ball mega-park in Paris just a €6 billion Trojan horse for deeper Saudi political influence in Europe?