All the 5 Million + hungry homeless war refugees from the current wars can find a new clean free home in Saudi Arabia. Safe from Israel, closer to Mecca, and no more living in tents in an active war zone. Inshallah ...
What a lot of people don't know is the journalist's uncle was an arms dealer and deeply involved with the CIA during the cold war. (Easy google search) I guarantee you that he tried to blackmail the royal family and got done away with as a result. Not saying it was proper but a real journalist would've just spilled the beans.
And all the bad features of suburbia define their new cities. Those huge streets divide and make life awful. Why not have cities that make sense in the middle east by trying something like having majority underground cities with greenery above ground and public transport to take you everywhere rather than driving cars in the heat?
King Abdulah: vanity project, but somehow still feasible, with taking real world and possible development options into an account Current King: Line, in the middle of desert, AI, artificial island, city in the middle of dessert...... I kind of see downward trend in ruler's sanity :D
At the start of the video, it is explained that it wasn't just a vanity project. It was about making money off religion. (as in, the REAL purpose of religion)
@@Vaeldarg That’s obviously not the point of religion. Sure there are individuals who use religions for that purpose, but we can say that about everything. I have plenty of criticisms for Islam, but it’s merely about money is silly.
@@Nathan-vt1jzthat absolutly is the reason for religion. That's why Buddha, Jesus, the Desert Father's, the apostles, the druids, and monks are all famous for their lavish lifestyles. Like I heard Jesus and Buddha both had vast palaces, it was like totally the point of their whole teachings
Wow, congratulations on your impressive investment success! Your discipline and focus on delayed gratification is truly inspiring. I'm curious, what are some of the key factors that you consider when making investment decisions? Do you have any tips for those of us who are just starting to dip our toes into the world of investing? Thanks for sharing your story!
@@AL-lh2ht"Refusing to visit a country that might kill you for being LGBT, a woman, or a journalist is bigotry" is the worst take I've ever seen a paid bot spew. If I were MBS, even I'd want the money I paid for your post back. Then you'd still probably visit an embassy.
"Don't waste your cash on frivolous things like building infrastructure and things your country actually needs, or to help improve the standard of living and human rights standards of your country. No, use it to start building an insane vanity project in the middle of nowhere shortly before you die. You know it makes sense." What next? A Hyperloop between the airport and Jeddah?
@simonlb24 Well to be fair no one abides by human rights not even the west the west is the biggest violators of human rights along with Russia and Iran and China and the west worked with Iran to genocide Iraqis and afghans and do coups in Africa and Latin America and the west is literally funding a literal genocide in Gaza and supporting apartheid 🇮🇱 so please don’t expect the proxies of America like the gulf states to abide by human rights when no country in the world abides by human rights . From a Muslim who is against the Saudi government.
I've transited the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Somehow I doubt anyone thinks "Riviera" when looking at the arid Hellscape that is the shores of the Red Sea.
@@DonAl_Capone My view as an eyewitness to it was not prejudiced. I like it as a harsh unspoiled part of nature. But if it had anything to offer human habitation there would already be much more going on there.
@@johndrennan5933 So I spent about an hour looking through Google Street View and user uploaded photospheres along the Saudi Arabian coast, taking my time in Jeddah and KAEC especially. I was curious to see if yours or the other guy's statements held any merit. I came to the conclusion that there might be isolated small areas that are ok, but for the most part, Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast appears to be a flat, desolate, kind of depressing land of sand and rocks. It looks deserted in many places, and the beaches are not very inviting. TL;DR It would appear your statement "if it had anything to offer human habitation, there would already be much more going on there" is 100% accurate.
honestly the way the mountains of neom by the sea look pretty Mediterranean to me as someone who goes to the french Rivera nearly every year, on the other hand the rest of the red sea really does give Maldives vibes like the ritz Carlton reserve or the st Regis
The problem here is that they try to do too much at once. Nothing wrong with grand plans, but let's take it a steep at a time. Build a core and get it going, then expand on it annually in order to encourage businesses and residents moving to the area. Once you get it going, it feeds itself but can benefit from a bit of visionary planning.
It's the mentality of generational wealth kids. Never had to build something from the ground up. Just expect to throw money at it and have it work like the computer animated showcases make it out to be.
I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desart. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed: And on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" No thing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.
@@jonahfalcon1970 Not quite. The poem quoted here is by Percy Bysshe Shelley, the husband of Mary Shelley. There is also one by Horace Smith, also called Ozymandias.
Yeah, this elephant is much greyer than "the line". Doesn't mean much, still seems like planing, logistics and maintaince are an afterthought to "How dazzling is my amazing, enormous building project".
It’s always an afterthought. I wish they’d just go back to building their eternal resting places if they’re not going to actually invest in helping their country.
7:40 I believe the 17 hour bus journey is from Riyaad to Medinah, not from Makkah. Driving from Makkah to Madinah takes somewhere between 5 and 7 hours
Having dived in the Rabigh area of the Red Sea when I worked in Jeddah back in the early 1990’s, enjoying spectacularly unspoilt coral reefs teeming with awesome marine life; one cannot fail to be moved by the wholesale destruction of these marine environments by the vast efforts to reclaim land, and dump spoil in pursuit of projects like these. I remember my last flight out of Jeddah, up the coastline north, looking down on vast clouds of submarine silt being pumped onto these precious habitats as the city expanded northward. Shameful, bloody shameful.
@@gearymarsolais962still available, “silt dumping” is banned under new environmental regulations, if you’re ever by Rabigh the KAUST university have a coral reef research center and can probably point you towards interesting reefs to visit. Ive never heard of the dredging that OP mentioned but if it did happen its unfortunate to see, Im thankful at-least that the attitudes towards it have changed and environmentalism has become key for the Saudis.
7:50 17 hour bus journey?! It’s at most 6 hours unless the bus has broken down or something… Furthermore, KAEC is kind of out of the way considering there is already a major highway bypassing it by tens of kilometers
Nobody expects KAEC to be a tourism spot for pilgrims, there's Jeddah for that. KAEC is growing itself due to manufacturing, industry and economic zone status. R.E ports, JED is underutilized as is but gaining sectors by the day. The alleviation of pressure from the jeddah islamic port onto kaec for industrial shipping leaves more space in Jeddah for tourist cruises etc. as far as projects go around there, kaec isn't such a massive flop and is on the right path.
@@TheDanEdwardsYeah but Israel has historical significance. Saudi Arabia is just a bunch of Disneyland nonsense. But at least Disneyland is creative lol
@@pauld.b7129Are you implying more people visit Israel than Saudi Arabia? It might not be a welcoming place to you, but you don't represent the majority of the world.
Lived in Riyadh for three years 2018-2022. It is stunning how over built the city is. They just think if they build it people will come. Construction on another level.
As a Saudi who lives in Riyadh, i don't want people to come, houses and small apartments are getting bought before even finishing, once i buy mine, they can come
You sound like me who saw Dubai in 1996 for the first time, and worked there for 2 years from 08-10. Over built is a polite way of putting it. Bigger is not always better. And this is something these obscenely wealthy Arab King's and those close to them don't seem to understand whatsoever.
Royal, not a dictator. Merely imbued with the blessings of God for many generations, and vast wealth extracted from the little people. What could possibly go wrong?
I think they should focus on one city at a time. They have a few half built places and ideas. But don’t seem to finish anything. What a waste of money.
I love how Saudi Arabia wants to "modernize"... yeah, modernize everything except their human rights. All those wonderful new facilities will be available -- for HALF the population. The other half, not so much.
Let Saudi Arabia and other conservative countries govern their own country. Their women aren't looking for Western values to be implemented in the Kingdom.
On 2 October 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident journalist, was killed by agents of the Saudi government at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.[4][5] Khashoggi was ambushed and strangled by a 15-member squad of Saudi operatives.[6][7] His body was dismembered and disposed of in some way that was never publicly revealed.[8] The consulate had been secretly bugged by the Turkish government and Khashoggi's final moments were captured in audio recordings, transcripts of which were subsequently made public.[9][6][10] He was a man. Imagine what they would do to women.
@@xZerker Heinous is an equal opportunity employer. Israel is not squeaky clean. I am American and I know America is not squeaky clean. That is the Bitch that is life.
@@Rendell001 The video about a project in Saudi Arabia is relevant to an alleged murder case? When you watch a documentary about Yosemite National Park in the USA, do you comment about the invasion of Iraq? Lol
While i know the answer is "i want a pyramid like the pharaohs of old", surely just spending the money on massive solar arrays would be a better way to wean themselves off oil.
As a European I would say.........maybe. 1. We currently don`t have the battery production and capacity for that. 2. Solar is actually a long ass problem. You need to produce the solar panels, batteries and raw materials to make the whole things work. Right now the only country that sort of does that is China.
I went to KAEC a few years ago with my husband, and we had to get some sort of pass to get into it and then when we got there, there was almost nobody. They have a nice little area by the sea, where nothing was open except for a couple of restaurants that weren’t all that. It’s beautiful, but very empty and sad. They do have housing there and I understand that people live there, but I don’t know how many people and from what I understood the rents were pretty steep.
"NEOM" is a combination of two words, "Neo" the greek word for "New", and the M from the Arabic word "Mostaqbal" Wich means Future, So yeah they are not that braindead
People believe their currency has the worth it does because they have no other option. Even in a hyperinflationary environment, individuals must continue to use their hyperinflationary currency since they likely have minimal access to other currencies or gold/silver coins.
Inflation is gradually going to become part of us and due to that fact any money you keep in cash or in a low-interest account declines in value each year. Investing is the only way to make your money grow and unless you have an exceptionally high income, investing is the only way most people will ever have enough money to retire.
I do not disagree, there are strategies that could be put in place for solid gains regardless of economy or market condition, but such execution are usually carried out by investment experts or advisors with experience since the 08' crash
Market fluctuations have frustrated my previous attempts at stock investing. Ready to pivot to passive income, I'd love to learn from your journey. Share your expertise and guidance, and help me overcome my past setbacks to achieve financial stability and success
I don't really blame people who panic. Lack of information can be a big hurdle. I've been making more than $300k passively by just investing through an advisor, and I don't have to do much work. Inflation or no inflation, my finances remain secure. So I really don't blame people who panic.
Did they really watch FIELD OF DREAMS. IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME. THAT WAS A MOVIE!!!! Cities grow from growth of jobs, and prosperity....not the other way around!!!
@@bazzingabomb It's more the logic of those that think they don't need to go by reality. It's a problem for both the rich and the religious. And they have both.
Perhaps the KAEC should offer a discount to anyone who can certify they've returned from their Hajj. Thus giving them an incentive to stay with the Traditional travel method? By which I mean lack of comforts.
In order for Saudi Arabia (and other Gulf nations) to become tourist meccas, they need to relax their very strict laws. As a gay man, I will never set foot in one of these nations, as in Saudi Arabia, I could be executed.
The reason why you are hated is exactly what u just portrayed. Saudi Arabia is open to anyone and as long as you don't show public display of affection or your preference down stairs you would be fine but that's just to much for an attention seeking freak like you right?
These nations are ruled by delusional tyrants the idea they will ever attract wealthy westerners is a fairy tale. I could enjoy a cold drink and dance with a scantily clad woman in a bar with a straw roof in the dominican or I could go see some mega project under the watchful eye of a religous extremists in SA. Which am I going to choose.
Bad economic concepts - with decisions held by a very few people. Big ideas, big risks and often failures. The best economies are those where there a millions of small good decisions… not grandeur.
I don't necessarily agree. Look at China, it was the greatest economic success story (for the amount of time it took) the world has even seen because they could do large projects without all the red tape and one person had ultimate authority. It is far more likely that this is just a cultural and motivation issue. They're not necessarily motivated to build for success of the country as a whole but things people look at and say 'wow'. Both systems have their issues, one can become bogged down in red tape and thousands of opinions but one can be dominated by the opinion of one person unfit to make these decisions.
@@retsaMinnavoiG I think, considering what's happening in China now, it isn't the best argument against OPs post. During the time of then Xiaoping, when China allowed its brilliant people have more economic freedom(millios of small good ideas), was when China was doing best. Since the coronation of Xi there has been massive waste and corruption that hurt Chinas development and is currently causing serious economic problems. Their growth has slowed and become very unhealthy. One person always has blind spots and when one person makes all the decisions they inevitably have avoidable problems caused by the dictator/despot/king. China is a prime example of this and understanding their current situation makes that very clear.
@@nunuabiznusOne problem is that once you have build up the infrastructure, generated raw economic growth in a previously underdeveloped country and such, development has to be switched over to different modes
I'm reminded of the late great comedian Sam Kinison. "YOU LIVE IN A DESERT!! NOTHING GROWS HERE, NOTHING'S GONNA GROW HERE!!! COME HERE! SEE THIS, THIS IS SAND!! YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE 100 YEARS FROM NOW?? IT'S GONNA BE SAND!" Liberally used expletives removed...
Sam Kinison was a racist moron. He was talking about Ethiopia, and telling them to become refugees. Because as we all know refugees are better off in other countries, right?
@gregkelly2145 Difference is Sam Kinison was a racist and basically blaming Ethiopians for their situation between the US and USSR, as if being refugees would improve their situation.
Focusing on a few industries can backfire such as luxury resorts and pilgrims..I think they need to open up for companies to move and create jobs and even still it would be difficult to convince people to visit..I never thought of visiting any middle eastern country as an example because of it's strict laws. I do hope they consider liberalizing like Turkey but better.
They are liberalizing, they just won’t become a democracy. There issue is the population has low productivity do to many factors, so they physically don’t have the people to start high skill service jobs. They don’t even run their own oil companies completely. But they have unlimited money, you, as in a government, can convert money into realstate and tourism by throwing money at it. So that is what they are doing. SA he not a city state like Qatar or UAE is basically is so likely not be as effective as them at this.
It appears to have a nice golf course - and between the nearby Mall and the Country Club, about 90% of all of the vehicles located in the "city". I guess you have to have your priorities.
and what’s the issue with deserts? are they not apart of nature too? deserts are literally so beautiful and diverse you’ve got mountainous deserts, so many areas in saudi bloom with lavender and different types of flowers during the spring, sand dunes can look insanely majestic and so much more to offer
Officials have long said that The Line would be built in phases, and they expected it would eventually cover an area of 170 kilometers along the coast.
If the former King's city, KAEC is a success and MBS's insane city projects are a disaster, that will make MBS sad. It would be embarassing for MBS if King Abdullah was a better visionary. Ego is a massive problem for KAEC. MBS doesn't want to be sad.
The Haramain railway isn't the greatest link regarding KAEC, because the station is so far from centre: about 15 minutes and 15km away. You can barely see the city from the railway line!
Planned cities are usually terrible ideas because cities are organic things. Unless you build it around a booming large town with a good future ahead of it, just dropping an X on the map and pretending people actually want to live there is dumb
Most modern cities have extensive and painful issues due to how they grew. Roads not wide enough, services that didn't previously exist requiring extensive work to install, services finding it difficult to get around, amenities not being adequate because of increased popualtion density blah blah blah It's just that most of these planned cities are created by insane people that are corrupt or don't care other than the prestige of the idea.
@@retsaMinnavoiG It is an organic process. You cannot convince people to go and live in your synthetic city unless there is a very good existing reason or a very good future for the region that people can see and recognise. New Cairo will probably work because Cairo is very close by and already enormous. Egypt is still developing from a very low bar, Egypt's population is still growing fast with potential for a large middle class. King Abdullah never will because Saudi's population is barely growing. Unless you force people to move there upon pain of death it'll be as empty as it has been the last 10 years. Typical useless petrostate megaprojects
the things I heard from you seems like "King Abdullah Economic City" just another city and the things you said is good. It seemed like "the new city had an airport and seaport" which means it only needed a port
There has to be consumer demand for rail. America has vehicles and airplanes, and no one seriously wants high-speed rail when there are faster and more convenient modes of travel.
@@RiteMoEquations Wrong. It was voted in and budgeted over 10 years ago, with a promised completion date of 2020. They still have yet to acquired all the land they need and have no idea how they are going to get through Tejon or Tehachapi.
They want us to eat it, they are so rich they could send Unemployed or Unskilled workers to school get qualifications but they don't cause their greedy
Saudi Arabia is now taking off with the newly emerging countries of the East and has a strong passion in contrast to the old association with the old, depressed West.
Saudi Arabia has scaled back its medium-term ambitions for the NEOM desert development project, the largest in the kingdom's plans to diversify the oil-dependent economy, according to people familiar with the matter.
I live in KAEC🎉 it is nice place with very little traffic and population. The quality of life is very high. Close to my hometown Jeddah and close to my favorite place Jorrah Al Aros. KAEC is better than most major city such as NYC and London in terms of quality, safety, job opportunities. Highly recommend to apply for job in there.
In 2021, the total number of non-national employed workers in the private sector of Saudi Arabia totaled to around 6.17 million workers. Foreign nationals made up around 76.4 percent of the private sector workforce in Saudi Arabia. Who are treated as barely better than slaves.
@@AL-lh2ht The overwhelming majority of the tourism market is westerners and the Haj happens for for two weeks a year. That would never sustain a profitable tourism industry. You can either be a theocratic dictatorship or a welcoming place to tourists you can't be both. Saudi Arabia can spend a trillion dollars on whatever grand project it wants tourists will always prefer a margarita on the beach to being at the mercy of some zealot who has a giant building.
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By 2030, the government hopes to have 1.5 million residents living in “The Line,” a futuristic city it seeks to build between a pair of mirror-clad skyscrapers.
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Every day I see that Saudi Arabia looks like Elon Musk or the DCEU before James Gunn, announcing a lot but delivering little
Muslims kill homosexuals
Is ever come anything good from Monarchy ?
Saudi Arabia won’t be habitable in 20 years. All of this infrastructures gonna make a nice base for a sand dune
All the 5 Million + hungry homeless war refugees from the current wars can find a new clean free home in Saudi Arabia. Safe from Israel, closer to Mecca, and no more living in tents in an active war zone. Inshallah ...
Simon, please dont accept any all expenses paid trips to saudi Arabia
"Wow this is so generous, even a first class flight out to Saudi Arabia... but you don't appear to have given me one for the return home?"
Or Turkish embassy invitations.
@@melaniesander9605 wasn't it saudi embassy IN Turkey?
What a lot of people don't know is the journalist's uncle was an arms dealer and deeply involved with the CIA during the cold war. (Easy google search) I guarantee you that he tried to blackmail the royal family and got done away with as a result. Not saying it was proper but a real journalist would've just spilled the beans.
@@josvercaemer264 Yeah, you're right.
Abandoned cities seems like the perfect place to do street races, Fast and Furious style.
Go to China. There are 100's of newly built, never populated, ghost cities.
@@theawesomeman9821 Petra, yeah !
with how strict these countries seem to be, even that would probably not work.
@@LoneWanderer905 Saudi Arabia has gotten very progressive under the current governing prince, alcohol is no longer a jailable offense there
@@theawesomeman9821 didn't know about that actually, thanks for the info
if i had 1 Dollar for every idiotic project of a petrol state, i'd have enough money to start my own idiotic project
You think you can create more idiotic project than me😂
Let me tell ya, these guys ain't even close to mine
LOL
Makes you think what's in the water out there that make people this deluded to believe these projects are possible and will be good ideas.
I would invest heavily in tropical aquarium fish.
Saudi Arabia seems to confuse "progress" with flashy projects, fancy technologies and luxury. A common mistake.
They are taking their cues from China.😂
To quote someone I knew who lived in Saudi for 30 years: “if we want culture, we just buy it.”
@@baomao7243 China too thought they could just copy culture. Nobody lives in those resulting buildings, as well.
Yea building railroads is so tots no progress
And all the bad features of suburbia define their new cities. Those huge streets divide and make life awful. Why not have cities that make sense in the middle east by trying something like having majority underground cities with greenery above ground and public transport to take you everywhere rather than driving cars in the heat?
King Abdulah: vanity project, but somehow still feasible, with taking real world and possible development options into an account
Current King: Line, in the middle of desert, AI, artificial island, city in the middle of dessert......
I kind of see downward trend in ruler's sanity :D
Whether your p diddy or MBS once the concept of no leaves your brain rational decision making soon follows.
At the start of the video, it is explained that it wasn't just a vanity project. It was about making money off religion. (as in, the REAL purpose of religion)
MBS is a big sci fi dystopia fan.
Too bad he doesn't know what science fiction is or what a dystopia is.
@@Vaeldarg That’s obviously not the point of religion. Sure there are individuals who use religions for that purpose, but we can say that about everything. I have plenty of criticisms for Islam, but it’s merely about money is silly.
@@Nathan-vt1jzthat absolutly is the reason for religion. That's why Buddha, Jesus, the Desert Father's, the apostles, the druids, and monks are all famous for their lavish lifestyles. Like I heard Jesus and Buddha both had vast palaces, it was like totally the point of their whole teachings
Thank you for recommending Sarah Jennine Davis on one of your videos. I reached out to her and :nvesting with her has been amazing.
Wow, congratulations on your impressive investment success! Your discipline and focus on delayed gratification is truly inspiring. I'm curious, what are some of the key factors that you consider when making investment decisions? Do you have any tips for those of us who are just starting to dip our toes into the world of investing? Thanks for sharing your story!
Do you mind sharing info on the adviser who
assisted you? I'm 39 now and would love to
grow my portfolio and plan my retirement
😊
@@FreyaFreya3 Sarah Jennine Davis is highly recommended
You most likely should get her basic info when you search her on your browser.
How do I access her ? I really need this @@mayor-o1w
+156
1:40 - Mid roll ads
2:55 - Chapter 1 - Background
10:05 - Chapter 2 - Building & problems
14:55 - Chapter 3 - Perhaps not a failure (yet)
In Saudi Arabia every king must leave behind a huge project for us to remember him by before his death... almost like the Pharaohs.
when i think overseas tourist destinations. saudi isn't even on the top 10000000 places to go. ever.
It’s normal for a bigot to not consider other peoples viewpoints
@@AL-lh2ht"Refusing to visit a country that might kill you for being LGBT, a woman, or a journalist is bigotry" is the worst take I've ever seen a paid bot spew.
If I were MBS, even I'd want the money I paid for your post back. Then you'd still probably visit an embassy.
@@AL-lh2htironic
You can go to Epstein Island.
@@zbrojarçekI will not visit a country currently supporting atrocities in Gaza.
"Don't waste your cash on frivolous things like building infrastructure and things your country actually needs, or to help improve the standard of living and human rights standards of your country. No, use it to start building an insane vanity project in the middle of nowhere shortly before you die. You know it makes sense."
What next? A Hyperloop between the airport and Jeddah?
An underground mountain climbing resort.
Tell me more about Human rights please? And who wrote them?
@@aadanaadan9109 Triggered much?
How about accept the truth of what was written instead of desperately trying not to.
@simonlb24 Well to be fair no one abides by human rights not even the west the west is the biggest violators of human rights along with Russia and Iran and China and the west worked with Iran to genocide Iraqis and afghans and do coups in Africa and Latin America and the west is literally funding a literal genocide in Gaza and supporting apartheid 🇮🇱 so please don’t expect the proxies of America like the gulf states to abide by human rights when no country in the world abides by human rights . From a Muslim who is against the Saudi government.
Human rights? What human rights? The very concept is foreign to Saudi Arabia.
I've transited the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Somehow I doubt anyone thinks "Riviera" when looking at the arid Hellscape that is the shores of the Red Sea.
On the contrary, it is very beautiful despite ur prejudiced views.
@@DonAl_Capone My view as an eyewitness to it was not prejudiced. I like it as a harsh unspoiled part of nature. But if it had anything to offer human habitation there would already be much more going on there.
@@johndrennan5933 So I spent about an hour looking through Google Street View and user uploaded photospheres along the Saudi Arabian coast, taking my time in Jeddah and KAEC especially. I was curious to see if yours or the other guy's statements held any merit. I came to the conclusion that there might be isolated small areas that are ok, but for the most part, Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast appears to be a flat, desolate, kind of depressing land of sand and rocks. It looks deserted in many places, and the beaches are not very inviting.
TL;DR It would appear your statement "if it had anything to offer human habitation, there would already be much more going on there" is 100% accurate.
honestly the way the mountains of neom by the sea look pretty Mediterranean to me as someone who goes to the french Rivera nearly every year, on the other hand the rest of the red sea really does give Maldives vibes like the ritz Carlton reserve or the st Regis
@@DonAl_Capone beautiful but completely desolate and unfit for large human communities.
The problem here is that they try to do too much at once. Nothing wrong with grand plans, but let's take it a steep at a time. Build a core and get it going, then expand on it annually in order to encourage businesses and residents moving to the area. Once you get it going, it feeds itself but can benefit from a bit of visionary planning.
It's the mentality of generational wealth kids. Never had to build something from the ground up. Just expect to throw money at it and have it work like the computer animated showcases make it out to be.
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desart. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
No thing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
U should have cited the author.
@@murrayscott9546 Horace Smith? 🙄
@@murrayscott9546Percy Byshe Shelley, if I recall
@@jonahfalcon1970 Not quite. The poem quoted here is by Percy Bysshe Shelley, the husband of Mary Shelley. There is also one by Horace Smith, also called Ozymandias.
@@ElijahBaley123 REALLY??????????????????????
Yeah, this elephant is much greyer than "the line".
Doesn't mean much, still seems like planing, logistics and maintaince are an afterthought to "How dazzling is my amazing, enormous building project".
It’s always an afterthought. I wish they’d just go back to building their eternal resting places if they’re not going to actually invest in helping their country.
7:40 I believe the 17 hour bus journey is from Riyaad to Medinah, not from Makkah. Driving from Makkah to Madinah takes somewhere between 5 and 7 hours
Having dived in the Rabigh area of the Red Sea when I worked in Jeddah back in the early 1990’s, enjoying spectacularly unspoilt coral reefs teeming with awesome marine life; one cannot fail to be moved by the wholesale destruction of these marine environments by the vast efforts to reclaim land, and dump spoil in pursuit of projects like these. I remember my last flight out of Jeddah, up the coastline north, looking down on vast clouds of submarine silt being pumped onto these precious habitats as the city expanded northward. Shameful, bloody shameful.
Destroying the very thing that could have attracted tourists in the first place. Nice bit of forward planning there. :(
Agree whole heartedly. Lived in Jeddah 1987-93. Best scuba diving I ever did and it was all available 100 yards off shore.
Muslims don’t care about life
@@gearymarsolais962still available, “silt dumping” is banned under new environmental regulations, if you’re ever by Rabigh the KAUST university have a coral reef research center and can probably point you towards interesting reefs to visit.
Ive never heard of the dredging that OP mentioned but if it did happen its unfortunate to see, Im thankful at-least that the attitudes towards it have changed and environmentalism has become key for the Saudis.
So much like the south coast of England totally polluted by ecoli such an appalling shame
7:50 17 hour bus journey?! It’s at most 6 hours unless the bus has broken down or something… Furthermore, KAEC is kind of out of the way considering there is already a major highway bypassing it by tens of kilometers
WHAT!? Realty doesn't work like a sim city game!? Hold my Skooma, I have to consult the Jarl of Whiterun.
QUESTION: Where does ALL the water to create and sustain such a city come from?
The Red Sea, via desalination plants.
@@humblescribe8522 Right😏
Nobody expects KAEC to be a tourism spot for pilgrims, there's Jeddah for that. KAEC is growing itself due to manufacturing, industry and economic zone status. R.E ports, JED is underutilized as is but gaining sectors by the day. The alleviation of pressure from the jeddah islamic port onto kaec for industrial shipping leaves more space in Jeddah for tourist cruises etc. as far as projects go around there, kaec isn't such a massive flop and is on the right path.
I propose raising an artificial mountain chain in Saudi Arabia to change wind patterns and turn the country into NotSand.
They actually considered something like this in the UAE, at a cost of US $100 billion.
@@Ynhockey Totally insane.
7:46 - the bus journey from Mecca to Medina is not 17 hours. Takes around 5-6 hours by bus or 2 hours by train
😂
Why would anyone want to visit Saudi Arabia as a tourist? I just dont see it. There are too many much better places to see in this world
"I just dont see it."
@@TheDanEdwardsYeah but Israel has historical significance. Saudi Arabia is just a bunch of Disneyland nonsense. But at least Disneyland is creative lol
@@pauld.b7129Are you implying more people visit Israel than Saudi Arabia? It might not be a welcoming place to you, but you don't represent the majority of the world.
They literally have one of the most visited holy sites on earth. How is this complicated?
If you are Muslim No. If you are not Muslim, Yes. Yes by alot.
Lived in Riyadh for three years 2018-2022. It is stunning how over built the city is. They just think if they build it people will come. Construction on another level.
@@shawnstangeland3011 Every dictator builds grand monuments to their giant ego. Moscow and Pyongyang are filled with them.
Go visit the Ghost Cities (many) in China.
As a Saudi who lives in Riyadh, i don't want people to come, houses and small apartments are getting bought before even finishing, once i buy mine, they can come
when you have unlimited oil and cheap foreign slaves then building this typa thing is easy peasy lemon squeezy
You sound like me who saw Dubai in 1996 for the first time, and worked there for 2 years from 08-10. Over built is a polite way of putting it. Bigger is not always better. And this is something these obscenely wealthy Arab King's and those close to them don't seem to understand whatsoever.
What happens when no one dares tell a dictator that their idea is insane.
The ones that did were made acquainted with his bone saw.
Bucharest's People's palace
Dunno ask AIPAC
The emperor's new clothes...
Royal, not a dictator. Merely imbued with the blessings of God for many generations, and vast wealth extracted from the little people. What could possibly go wrong?
wait, so... the cake is not a lie then?? 🤔fascinating...
No, just a disappointment. Which is somehow worse.
And yet, both will be completed before the UK manages to build HS2 rail line or its new Nuclear power stations
LOL
I think they should focus on one city at a time. They have a few half built places and ideas. But don’t seem to finish anything. What a waste of money.
I love how Saudi Arabia wants to "modernize"... yeah, modernize everything except their human rights. All those wonderful new facilities will be available -- for HALF the population. The other half, not so much.
More like the minority elites. We commoners can't even afford to just see these projects.
Let Saudi Arabia and other conservative countries govern their own country. Their women aren't looking for Western values to be implemented in the Kingdom.
You think expats are not allowed to do anything?
@@RiteMoEquationsI’m not sure if that is true, but if it is, you have a point.
Human rights? With human nature, "when you gave them an inch they will demand miles", With arabs and muslim culture it would be turn really bad
On 2 October 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident journalist, was killed by agents of the Saudi government at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.[4][5] Khashoggi was ambushed and strangled by a 15-member squad of Saudi operatives.[6][7] His body was dismembered and disposed of in some way that was never publicly revealed.[8] The consulate had been secretly bugged by the Turkish government and Khashoggi's final moments were captured in audio recordings, transcripts of which were subsequently made public.[9][6][10]
He was a man. Imagine what they would do to women.
All these comment you made are irrelevant, this is nothing compared to what israel is doing and you haven't said a word on it
@@xZerker Heinous is an equal opportunity employer. Israel is not squeaky clean. I am American and I know America is not squeaky clean. That is the Bitch that is life.
@@xZerker Er... his comments were entirely relevent to the video and you're the one attempting to divert the topic to something else.
@@Rendell001
The video about a project in Saudi Arabia is relevant to an alleged murder case?
When you watch a documentary about Yosemite National Park in the USA, do you comment about the invasion of Iraq? Lol
@@bonafidemonafide7810 the murder caused major investor pullout and has been a roadblock to this project lol
This one for once actually sounds like it has potential.
Whatever you say, NameNumber.
While i know the answer is "i want a pyramid like the pharaohs of old", surely just spending the money on massive solar arrays would be a better way to wean themselves off oil.
Oil is used in lots of many ways. We will always need oil ya flop.
As a European I would say.........maybe.
1. We currently don`t have the battery production and capacity for that.
2. Solar is actually a long ass problem. You need to produce the solar panels, batteries and raw materials to make the whole things work. Right now the only country that sort of does that is China.
Oil is perhaps the most useful substance ever discovered. It will be in wide use indefinitely.
@@blueodum Sure it is.
SA has some of the largest solar farms on earth.
I went to KAEC a few years ago with my husband, and we had to get some sort of pass to get into it and then when we got there, there was almost nobody. They have a nice little area by the sea, where nothing was open except for a couple of restaurants that weren’t all that. It’s beautiful, but very empty and sad. They do have housing there and I understand that people live there, but I don’t know how many people and from what I understood the rents were pretty steep.
This episode was packed with information. Don't think I learned so much local and geopoliticaly in such a short video before!
I still think Neom was named that because it's the noise some braindead princeling's sports car makes when it drives past really fast.
"NEOM" is a combination of two words, "Neo" the greek word for "New", and the M from the Arabic word "Mostaqbal" Wich means Future, So yeah they are not that braindead
@@Abdallah-k3xmmm nope! We're sticking with the op's original comment. We like that better.
Yeah my first thought was “ooh the Doplar Effect sound!” (
My spelling might be off, i’m having a brainfart)
TLDR; KAEC doesn't quite take the cake.
With nearly unlimited petrodollars, building KAEC is cake.
Buying Stocks or Gold are the absolute best hedges against hyperinflation.
People believe their currency has the worth it does because they have no other option. Even in a hyperinflationary environment, individuals must continue to use their hyperinflationary currency since they likely have minimal access to other currencies or gold/silver coins.
Inflation is gradually going to become part of us and due to that fact any money you keep in cash or in a low-interest account declines in value each year. Investing is the only way to make your money grow and unless you have an exceptionally high income, investing is the only way most people will ever have enough money to retire.
I do not disagree, there are strategies that could be put in place for solid gains regardless of economy or market condition, but such execution are usually carried out by investment experts or advisors with experience since the 08' crash
Market fluctuations have frustrated my previous attempts at stock investing. Ready to pivot to passive income, I'd love to learn from your journey. Share your expertise and guidance, and help me overcome my past setbacks to achieve financial stability and success
I don't really blame people who panic. Lack of information can be a big hurdle. I've been making more than $300k passively by just investing through an advisor, and I don't have to do much work. Inflation or no inflation, my finances remain secure. So I really don't blame people who panic.
The economic city can be a hub for the production of bone saws and hydrochloric acid, both Saudi staples
Was that how Kashoghi was killed in the Saudi Embassy? 😮
@@raymondmartin6737 appararently there was audio
That's terrible. How many have been slaughtered by the IDF in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Lebanon, and Syrian since last year?
@@josvercaemer264 That is speculation.
@@AnotherPointOfView944 No, it is not speculation. They have clear audio of the homicide and the electric saws used for the dismemberment.
Did they really watch FIELD OF DREAMS.
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
THAT WAS A MOVIE!!!!
Cities grow from growth of jobs, and prosperity....not the other way around!!!
Their Arabs logic does not compute.
@@bazzingabomb It's more the logic of those that think they don't need to go by reality. It's a problem for both the rich and the religious. And they have both.
Goverments should start listening to UA-camrs on where to spend their money and stop hiring economists n engineers
Yay! Here it is at last, another Megaprojects! 😊
Of all your channels, Simon, Megaprojects is my favorite
Perhaps the KAEC should offer a discount to anyone who can certify they've returned from their Hajj. Thus giving them an incentive to stay with the Traditional travel method? By which I mean lack of comforts.
the economic city is just offices and stuff though, people are not supposed to live in it
Even as such its empty 😆😄
Kaec by the ocean
In order for Saudi Arabia (and other Gulf nations) to become tourist meccas, they need to relax their very strict laws. As a gay man, I will never set foot in one of these nations, as in Saudi Arabia, I could be executed.
As a woman, I would not go either.
The reason why you are hated is exactly what u just portrayed. Saudi Arabia is open to anyone and as long as you don't show public display of affection or your preference down stairs you would be fine but that's just to much for an attention seeking freak like you right?
@@kreiner1 as a straight male, I would not go either.....
These nations are ruled by delusional tyrants the idea they will ever attract wealthy westerners is a fairy tale. I could enjoy a cold drink and dance with a scantily clad woman in a bar with a straw roof in the dominican or I could go see some mega project under the watchful eye of a religous extremists in SA. Which am I going to choose.
As a woman, I object to the rigid culture towards females. 🤨
How about some guest hosts? I can only handle so much Simon voice.
Hell no
Bad economic concepts - with decisions held by a very few people. Big ideas, big risks and often failures. The best economies are those where there a millions of small good decisions… not grandeur.
Most of the richest per capita countries on earth, including in Europe end Asia, are massively goverment backed and controlled businesses.
I don't necessarily agree.
Look at China, it was the greatest economic success story (for the amount of time it took) the world has even seen because they could do large projects without all the red tape and one person had ultimate authority.
It is far more likely that this is just a cultural and motivation issue.
They're not necessarily motivated to build for success of the country as a whole but things people look at and say 'wow'.
Both systems have their issues, one can become bogged down in red tape and thousands of opinions but one can be dominated by the opinion of one person unfit to make these decisions.
@@retsaMinnavoiG I think, considering what's happening in China now, it isn't the best argument against OPs post. During the time of then Xiaoping, when China allowed its brilliant people have more economic freedom(millios of small good ideas), was when China was doing best. Since the coronation of Xi there has been massive waste and corruption that hurt Chinas development and is currently causing serious economic problems. Their growth has slowed and become very unhealthy. One person always has blind spots and when one person makes all the decisions they inevitably have avoidable problems caused by the dictator/despot/king. China is a prime example of this and understanding their current situation makes that very clear.
@@nunuabiznusOne problem is that once you have build up the infrastructure, generated raw economic growth in a previously underdeveloped country and such, development has to be switched over to different modes
Brilliantly explained. This is why I follow your page!
"there's certainly less on the Line.... LOLOL!😂
*Looks like Saudi Arabia has more money than SENSE!!* 😂😂
100x more.
I'm reminded of the late great comedian Sam Kinison. "YOU LIVE IN A DESERT!! NOTHING GROWS HERE, NOTHING'S GONNA GROW HERE!!! COME HERE! SEE THIS, THIS IS SAND!! YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE 100 YEARS FROM NOW?? IT'S GONNA BE SAND!" Liberally used expletives removed...
Sam Kinison was a racist moron. He was talking about Ethiopia, and telling them to become refugees. Because as we all know refugees are better off in other countries, right?
How I feel about visiting and then there is the fact that I'm a woman.👩🏽
@gregkelly2145 Difference is Sam Kinison was a racist and basically blaming Ethiopians for their situation between the US and USSR, as if being refugees would improve their situation.
@@jonahfalcon1970 I didn't say he wasn't, but I think it's valid criticism of pouring billions down the proverbial barren wasteland drain.
Simon, can you please start re-using the back-lights on your chanels?
It's a small thing but it always looked good.
Focusing on a few industries can backfire such as luxury resorts and pilgrims..I think they need to open up for companies to move and create jobs and even still it would be difficult to convince people to visit..I never thought of visiting any middle eastern country as an example because of it's strict laws. I do hope they consider liberalizing like Turkey but better.
They are liberalizing, they just won’t become a democracy.
There issue is the population has low productivity do to many factors, so they physically don’t have the people to start high skill service jobs. They don’t even run their own oil companies completely. But they have unlimited money, you, as in a government, can convert money into realstate and tourism by throwing money at it. So that is what they are doing.
SA he not a city state like Qatar or UAE is basically is so likely not be as effective as them at this.
They have mecha, billions of the population are required to go.
It appears to have a nice golf course - and between the nearby Mall and the Country Club, about 90% of all of the vehicles located in the "city". I guess you have to have your priorities.
the problem with Saudi Arabia and othe middle eastern nations is that they are mostly deserts
Climate change will make them better... probably.
@@YellowJeep Not.
…with oil.
... and muslim.
and what’s the issue with deserts? are they not apart of nature too? deserts are literally so beautiful and diverse you’ve got mountainous deserts, so many areas in saudi bloom with lavender and different types of flowers during the spring, sand dunes can look insanely majestic and so much more to offer
Officials have long said that The Line would be built in phases, and they expected it would eventually cover an area of 170 kilometers along the coast.
Lol Abdullah bin abudin Abdullah bin Abdullah bin Abdullah bin alan bin Abdullah city....
So creative name.
If the former King's city, KAEC is a success and MBS's insane city projects are a disaster, that will make MBS sad.
It would be embarassing for MBS if King Abdullah was a better visionary.
Ego is a massive problem for KAEC. MBS doesn't want to be sad.
to be sad? like, he sits in his throne and weeps ?
The Haramain railway isn't the greatest link regarding KAEC, because the station is so far from centre: about 15 minutes and 15km away. You can barely see the city from the railway line!
8:34 thought you said liberal, had to turn on captions
This is the first city in this whole trend where i think it has potential
If Pissing Away Money was an Olympic sport, we all know who would win....
Did you mention that the high speed train takes 2 hours between Mecca and Medina according to wikipedia. Sounds fantastic
UAE, Saudi's, etc. with their ghost cities.
At least there is a sea in Dubai.
Visionary project. It's great that Saudi Arabia is building these city projects.
Planned cities are usually terrible ideas because cities are organic things. Unless you build it around a booming large town with a good future ahead of it, just dropping an X on the map and pretending people actually want to live there is dumb
This is objectively wrong. In fact most cities are in fact planned.
Most modern cities have extensive and painful issues due to how they grew.
Roads not wide enough, services that didn't previously exist requiring extensive work to install, services finding it difficult to get around, amenities not being adequate because of increased popualtion density blah blah blah
It's just that most of these planned cities are created by insane people that are corrupt or don't care other than the prestige of the idea.
@@retsaMinnavoiG It is an organic process. You cannot convince people to go and live in your synthetic city unless there is a very good existing reason or a very good future for the region that people can see and recognise. New Cairo will probably work because Cairo is very close by and already enormous. Egypt is still developing from a very low bar, Egypt's population is still growing fast with potential for a large middle class. King Abdullah never will because Saudi's population is barely growing. Unless you force people to move there upon pain of death it'll be as empty as it has been the last 10 years. Typical useless petrostate megaprojects
@@pgr3290don't give MBS ideas. 😢
Planned cities are great as long as they re planned around economic activities. Building housing in a place with no jobs is pointless.
the things I heard from you seems like "King Abdullah Economic City" just another city
and the things you said is good. It seemed like "the new city had an airport and seaport" which means it only needed a port
Wait, you are telling me they built high speed railway FASTER than California?
They build complete cities faster than you can get a permit to build a shed in California.
Good one
There has to be consumer demand for rail. America has vehicles and airplanes, and no one seriously wants high-speed rail when there are faster and more convenient modes of travel.
@@RiteMoEquations Wrong. It was voted in and budgeted over 10 years ago, with a promised completion date of 2020. They still have yet to acquired all the land they need and have no idea how they are going to get through Tejon or Tehachapi.
The HSR in Cali is wider then SA itself.
I love how this is all based on assumptions. The city has been productively functioning for years and has one of the best beaches in the country.
14:12 Damien Duff for the goal?
Every time... "The Cake" ... Is a lie. "The Kaec..." Is a lie.
But if Saudi Arabia ever has the CAKE, will they be able to eat it too?
They want us to eat it, they are so rich they could send Unemployed or Unskilled workers to school get qualifications but they don't cause their greedy
COME ON Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and all MENA... more development for our people, our countries, our nations ✊🏽
wow! So disappointing.
video begins 2:55
Video actually begins at 0:00 dummy
Thank you
Saudi Arabia is now taking off with the newly emerging countries of the East and has a strong passion in contrast to the old association with the old, depressed West.
saudi travel agent here.I would like to give you a free trip all expenses paid one way
Nice try, Kim is giving away free houses 🏘 in North Korea 😀
@@jc6800 i have one for a summer home 🏡
Send all the Muslims
@flickrebeat8936 did I just start a race war...
@StPBiKE Nah he's just being a jerk
Saudi Arabia has scaled back its medium-term ambitions for the NEOM desert development project, the largest in the kingdom's plans to diversify the oil-dependent economy, according to people familiar with the matter.
I live in KAEC🎉 it is nice place with very little traffic and population. The quality of life is very high. Close to my hometown Jeddah and close to my favorite place Jorrah Al Aros. KAEC is better than most major city such as NYC and London in terms of quality, safety, job opportunities. Highly recommend to apply for job in there.
As a blue collar foreigner, not a good idea to apply for a job there.
In 2021, the total number of non-national employed workers in the private sector of Saudi Arabia totaled to around 6.17 million workers. Foreign nationals made up around 76.4 percent of the private sector workforce in Saudi Arabia.
Who are treated as barely better than slaves.
@@jonahfalcon1970which is central to all this failed projects.saudu doesn't have many people working I. Privat industry.
Cities serves those people.
Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.
Textbook example of "more money than brains".
Textbook example of how to be bankrupt.
Why would anyone visit Saudi Arabia for vacation? Might as well say you visited the entrance to hell.
It literally has one of the most visited holy sites on earth
@@AL-lh2ht The overwhelming majority of the tourism market is westerners and the Haj happens for for two weeks a year. That would never sustain a profitable tourism industry. You can either be a theocratic dictatorship or a welcoming place to tourists you can't be both. Saudi Arabia can spend a trillion dollars on whatever grand project it wants tourists will always prefer a margarita on the beach to being at the mercy of some zealot who has a giant building.
@@AL-lh2ht The overwhelming majority of tourists don't go for religious reasons.
@@geelangfordo3272 Indeed, its a stopover for people going from Australia to Europe. 🤣
Because it's a beautiful country with the best people.💚🇸🇦
Heat "sometimes" causes issues during hajj? That's an understatement.
This year I have experienced more gains than losses in the crypto/stock market, thanks to some knowledge I acquired from my financial advisor. I have managed to flip the market
I have seen something like this on countless videos and i find it misleading. I do not trust most advisors as the last time I did, it didn't end well
I totally understand, i have seen this too but before working with anyone you need to do your research, possibly meet them in person, my financial adviser is Gabriel Alberto William , he is not just a broker, he is a financial adviser that gives advice on any financial matters not just on stocks or crypto
Okay, how do I get in touch with him?
look his name up online, please do your research, he is very good at what he does and has been in various financial market interviews
This seems like a city that they actually have a reason to build, unlike NEOM.
Keep crying
The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action.
Send the refugees there
Yes, they already are the mistreated foreign workers. 😮
Might be an idea to stop these idea people from using computer graphics. It might curb their enthusiasm somewhat.
I wish SA to build everything the king wants! I want to see them spend all their money and go into debt for it!
Muslim pilgrimage and faith - no one bats an eye. Christian pilgrimage and faith - forbidden!
How is it forbidden? Did you think about this post at all?
.... wow
From Simon Whistler to Simon Whistleblower ([Assassinated]).
Typical jealous westerner😂😂
Jealous of what exactly?
@@Ħæïķăł multipolar world. Arabs replacing europe in terms of development. N many more
By 2030, the government hopes to have 1.5 million residents living in “The Line,” a futuristic city it seeks to build between a pair of mirror-clad skyscrapers.
Looks like the city has a great chance to succeed eventually unlike the silly NEOM stuff.....
Please talk about that the city is turning into a hub for mobile vehicles industry
Guess they didn’t realize that they needed people capable of producing economic activity and consumption… go figure
Best watched at .75 speed for full comprehension.