While Saudi Arabia’s once-dazzling vision for The Line is being scaled back and construction on its original megacity concept has stalled, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s (MBS) wider transformation plans are still moving forward in other directions. One of the most eye-catching is Qiddiya City, where Saudi Arabia is now pushing ahead with the world’s only Dragon Ball theme park by launching a new construction tender.
Qiddiya Investment Company has invited bids for the infrastructure needed behind the scenes at the enormous attraction, with submissions due by September 13, as reported by Construction Week. The package includes plant rooms, facilities management buildings, workshops, storage warehouses, central kitchens, a fire station, parking, utilities and a monorail depot.
The latter is particularly intriguing, although Qiddiya has not yet revealed whether the eventual monorail will carry guests, where it will run or whether it will connect the park with its hotels or other attractions.
The Dragon Ball park was first unveiled in 2024 and is planned across more than 500,000 square meters, equivalent to over 124 acres or roughly 5.38 million square feet. Inspired by the franchise’s seven legendary Dragon Balls, it will be divided into seven themed zones taking visitors from the original Dragon Ball series through Dragon Ball Super. \
More than 30 rides and experiences are planned, including five major attractions. The undisputed centerpiece will be a gigantic 70-meter Shenron, the wish-granting dragon from the series. Qiddiya’s current description says its signature Shenron Rollercoaster will be wrapped around the iconic dragon, turning what could have been a giant statue into a functioning piece of ride infrastructure.
The park will also recreate recognizable locations including Kame House, Capsule Corporation and Beerus’ Planet, giving visitors the chance to step directly into some of Dragon Ball’s most familiar settings. Qiddiya has promised immersive and interactive experiences, although it has yet to reveal exactly how character encounters will be delivered.
This is also intended to be a resort rather than somewhere visitors simply rush through in a day. Multiple themed hotels will sit within the action, while restaurants and dining spaces are planned as part of the experience. The latest tender’s inclusion of central kitchens suggests that the food-and-beverage operation will be substantial, although specific restaurants and menus have not yet been announced.
The project is being developed through a long-term strategic partnership with Toei Animation, the Japanese company behind the original Dragon Ball animation. That relationship is intended to help preserve the authenticity of the franchise as it is translated from screen to physical destination.
Falcon’s Creative Group, an Orlando-based specialist, was appointed masterplan designer in 2024, while site grading and enabling works were completed in 2025. The park will rise among the rugged Tuwaiq Mountains, creating an unusual backdrop of colorful anime architecture, desert terrain and a colossal dragon.
And Dragon Ball is only one piece of Qiddiya’s much larger gamble. Six Flags Qiddiya City, Aquarabia, the Gaming and Esports District, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium and Speed Park Track are among the projects being developed as Saudi Arabia attempts to turn Qiddiya into a global capital of entertainment, sports and play. The contrast with The Line is striking. As the futuristic mirrored city loses some of its original scale and ambition, Saudi Arabia is betting that more tangible attractions such as theme parks, sports venues and entertainment destinations can deliver a different kind of spectacle.
