KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Cabinet reviewed progress of the Entertainment City project, a long-delayed project expected to boost tourism, create jobs and diversify the country’s economy.
In a joint briefing to the Cabinet on Tuesday, Sheikh Dr Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Director General of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA); Sheikh Saud Salem Abdulaziz Al-Sabah, Managing Director of the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA); and Sheikh Mohammad Salman Hamoud Al-Sabah, Acting Director of the Asset Monitoring Unit in the General Reserve Sector, outlined the government’s updated vision for the Entertainment City project.
They described the planned development as “a community service and a major tourism destination that will help stimulate Kuwait’s economy.” They added: “Once the necessary implementation steps are completed, the project will attract top-tier international companies to invest in and operate this landmark tourism site.”
This week’s discussion follows the Cabinet’s directive in December 2024, which formally called for accelerating execution of the project — originally launched nearly a decade ago. Entertainment City, once a flagship amusement park, was closed in 2016 for renovation and redevelopment. The site, located in Doha, was later approved by the Municipal Council for expansion to 2.65 million square meters.
Over the years, multiple government decisions — in 2019 and again in 2024 — refined the scope of the project and approved environmental assessments and zoning adjustments. Most recently, in July 2024, the Municipal Council agreed to transfer project oversight to the KIA, allowing the agency to manage site adaptation and investment terms. According to feasibility studies, the new Entertainment City is expected to cost around KD 200 million, contribute KD 85 million to Kuwait’s GDP by 2035, and generate 4,000 jobs. It is also projected to attract up to 900,000 visitors annually by 2030. The Kuwait Touristic Enterprises Company, a state-owned entity, has assembled a consultancy team to explore design and operational models with the goal of maximizing long-term economic return and attracting foreign expertise. — Agencies
