Saudi Arabia announces opening of Sports Boulevard
Saudi Arabia is set to launch the first phase of a major Riyadh development this week as Sports Boulevard opens its first phase.
Sports Boulevard Foundation, chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has announced the opening of the first phase of the Sports Boulevard project in Riyadh.
This milestone includes five key destinations:
Wadi Hanifah
The Promenade
The section at the intersection of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road and Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Awwal Road
The Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University internal loop
The first phase of Sands Sports Park
With this, the total completed length of the project now stands at 83km, with an overall progress reaching 40 per cent.
Riyadh Sports Boulevard in Saudi Arabia
The opening of the first phase of the Sports Boulevard project marks a major milestone for Riyadh, as part of the city's transformative developments.
Launched by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz on March 19, 2019, the project continues to receive the dedicated attention and support of HRH the Crown Prince.
Designed to enhance Riyadh's global ranking, the Sports Boulevard aims to position the city among the world's most liveable destinations.
It plays a key role in advancing Saudi Vision 2030 by promoting physical, mental, and social well-being, and fostering a vibrant community where residents and visitors can enjoy a high quality of life, a healthy lifestyle, and an inviting environment.
This opening is part of the foundation's mission to establish an innovative and sustainable urban renaissance along the environmental artery that connects Riyadh from the west to the east.
This transformative initiative empowers residents and visitors to actively engage in a wide range of sports while enhancing their quality of life by encouraging a more active and dynamic lifestyle.
The first completed destination of the project is Wadi Hanifah, situated in western Riyadh. Spanning 13.4km, it extends from Al-Olab Dam in the north to Jeddah Road in the south, passing through the Diriyah Gate project.
It features pedestrian pathways, cycling and equestrian trails, green spaces, and designated rest areas.
Seamlessly connecting Wadi Hanifah to the Promenade is the Cycling Bridge, one of the project's most iconic landmarks, located at the intersection of King Khalid Road and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road.
The bridge is designed with two independent pathways: a 1km pedestrian path and a 771m cycling path. Designed to enhance safe and sustainable mobility, it allows visitors to move effortlessly between Diriyah and the Promenade along Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road.
The Promenade stretches 4 km and adheres to the Sports Boulevard's urban design code, inspired by the principles of Salmani architecture.
It offers dedicated cycling paths for both professionals and amateurs, complemented by rest stops for cyclists, lush green spaces, water features, walking trails, children's playgrounds, and a selection of retail outlets and specialised centres for bicycle rentals and accessories.
Spanning 300m, the area at the intersection of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road and Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al-Awwal Road features the Arts Tower—a striking installation inspired by the high-voltage electricity towers that once lined Prince Mohammed bin Salman Road.
With its colourful geometric panels, the tower interacts with sunlight to create mesmerising reflections, making it a distinctive landmark and a key focal point for visitors.
The project also features a 20km internal loop track at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, designed with dedicated cycling and pedestrian pathways that seamlessly connect the university's facilities, enhancing accessibility for students, staff, and members of the public.
The Sands Sports Park, the fifth completed destination in the first phase of the project, is located southeast of King Khalid International Airport.
Designed for both professionals and amateurs, it features dedicated cycling paths, mountain bike trails, and BMX tracks, alongside scenic hiking and equestrian trails.
At the heart of the park lies the Najdi Flower, a signature cycling route for professionals, stretching over 45km.
As part of its development, more than 350,000sq m of sand dunes have been rehabilitated to enhance the natural landscape. The park also offers retail outlets and specialised centres for bicycle rentals and accessories.
Future phases will introduce additional sports facilities and buildings, further elevating the visitor experience.
The five destinations of the Sports Boulevard project will be open to visitors starting tomorrow, February 27, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
2 days ago
- Zawya
Saudia launches direct flights between Riyadh, Vienna to boost global connectivity
Riyadh: Saudia has inaugurated its first direct and scheduled flights from Riyadh to Vienna, the capital of Austria, according to a press release. Launched in collaboration with the Air Connectivity Program (ACP), the strategic route aligns with Saudia's successful seasonal operations from Jeddah and supports the airline's international expansion efforts. This move also backs the Saudi national carrier's commitment to fostering global connectivity and enhancing access to key international destinations. The new route operates four times weekly from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh to Vienna International Airport. Flights depart Riyadh under flight number SV153, with return flights from Vienna under SV152, scheduled on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. In line with the Saudi Vision 2030, Saudia continues to invest in its fleet and services to meet the growing demand for air travel. Its network spans more than 100 destinations across four continents.
Tourism Breaking News
5 days ago
- Tourism Breaking News
ITB Asia 2025 to focus on ME and GenZ travellers
Post Views: 28 TTME in an exclusive interview with Darren Seah – Executive Director – ITB Asia shared that this year their focus shifts in the industry—particularly the growing influence of the Middle East market and the rising power of Generation Z travellers. The Middle East continues to play a pivotal role in shaping Asia-Pacific's travel dynamics. With a reputation for luxury, experiential travel, and high-value outbound tourism, the region's significance is only increasing. Seah shared, 'Oman is joining us this year, and we're in active discussions with other Middle Eastern destinations including the UAE.' He further added, 'We were recently in the UAE, engaging with key stakeholders to strengthen regional collaboration.' This growing engagement aligns with the broader tourism strategies of countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar—each investing heavily in hospitality infrastructure, cultural offerings, and mega-events, as part of long-term national visions such as Saudi Vision 2030. For ITB Asia, this means not just showcasing the region as a destination, but also as a vital source of outbound travellers seeking immersive, high-quality travel experiences across Asia-Pacific.
Campaign ME
29-05-2025
- Campaign ME
The new rules of ROI: How MENA marketers can win in a fragmented, data-driven era
The marketing playbook is undergoing a pivotal shift amid evolving economic landscapes, demanding strategic and thoughtful planning from businesses across the region. In MENA, companies are grappling with persistent inflation, currency volatility, and high interest rates, all of which are prompting tighter scrutiny on budget allocation and a sharper focus on return on investment (ROI). Fiscal deficits are widening, with Saudi Arabia projected to reach 2.3 per cent of GDP, while geopolitical tensions and global supply chain disruptions from tariffs and conflicts continue to fuel uncertainty. Still, the region offers compelling opportunities. The GCC continues to outperform the broader MENA region, with the UAE's economy expected to grow 4.8 per cent in 2025, driven largely by non-oil sectors. A regional tourism boom is also underway, Dubai welcomed over 18 million visitors in 2024 and ambitious economic diversification strategies like Saudi Vision 2030 and We the UAE 2031 are helping maintain investor optimism. The ROI reset Media fragmentation is adding complexity to the marketing landscape. With a growing number of online and offline touchpoints, marketers are under pressure to deliver ROI across an increasingly fragmented media environment. Emerging channels like Connected TV (CTV) are gaining traction, with the GCC's CTV sector projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 15 per cent through 2025. Meanwhile, retail media is expected to propel MENA's e-commerce market to $57 billion in 2026, reinforcing the strategic role of marketing in driving business outcomes. This rising pressure from economic headwinds to evolving privacy regulations demands a reset. Brands must rethink how they connect with consumers. I've drawn on Snap's experience supporting brands and agencies across the region to identify three key recommendations to help marketers maximise their return on investments, navigate market volatility and prepare for the slower summer season and the high impact peak periods ahead. Three ways to maximise ROI in a fragmented ecosystem 1. Invest in holistic measurement frameworks A robust, future-facing measurement strategy is the foundation of marketing effectiveness today. As measurement capabilities become more complex, marketers are rediscovering the value of holistic, aggregate approaches like Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM). Rather than over-indexing on short-term or last-click metrics, which no longer reflect the multi-touch, multi-platform reality of consumer behaviour, MMM allows marketers a clearer view of the long-term business impact. According to a recent eMarketer report, while 78 per cent of marketers still use last-click attribution, three in four are moving toward more sophisticated approaches like MMM. These insights highlight how MMM can uncover underappreciated channels and guide smarter budget allocation. The most forward-thinking brands are triangulating multiple measurement tools, combining MMM, incrementality testing, and advanced attribution, to form a more accurate picture of performance. This shift requires agencies and advertisers to rethink their KPIs, embed MMM into their planning cycles, and balance short-term performance tracking with strategic evaluation frameworks. 2. Let algorithms do the heavy lifting Managing campaigns manually across fragmented platforms is no longer sustainable. With consumers spread across countless platforms and formats, it's no longer about micromanaging placements, it's about setting the right objectives and letting platforms' algorithms work in real time. Features like Target Cost Bidding (tCPA) and Campaign Budget Optimisation (CBO) are helping brands automate bidding and budget allocation toward the highest-converting audiences. This approach requires advertisers to define exact KPIs upfront and trust the algorithm to optimise towards them, rather than defaulting to manual campaign adjustments. Brands embracing these strategies have seen tangible success, with tCPA and CBO improving cost per action (CPA) and cost per mille (CPM) performance while maximising conversion volumes. Still, each platform's algorithm behaves differently. Winning marketers tailor their strategy to each channel's unique dynamics rather than copy-pasting best practices. 3. Improve your data signal quality In a privacy-first world, your data inputs are your competitive advantage. The quality of the signals brands send to platforms is now one of the most critical performance levers. Stronger signals, whether via pixel, mobile measurement partners (MMP), or Conversions API (CAPI), enable more accurate targeting, smarter optimisation, and clearer attribution. For web advertisers using the Snap Pixel and integrating the Conversions API, Snapchat data shows a 22 per cent increase in attributed purchases and an 18 per cent improvement in cost per purchase. For iOS app advertisers using an MMP alongside CAPI, there is a 47 per cent increase in attributed installs. This is especially vital as regulations like GDPR and DSA, along with ecosystem shifts such as ATT and cookie deprecation, have strengthened consumer privacy protections and reshaped how data is collected and used. High-quality first-party data is no longer optional; it's essential to performance and future-proofing. In this complex but opportunity-rich landscape, the marketers who succeed will be those who evolve quickly and strategically. By investing in holistic measurement, leaning into algorithmic optimisation, and strengthening their data foundations, brands and agencies can navigate the shifting MENA media ecosystem with clarity and confidence. This trifecta – measurement triangulation, smarter execution, and strong signal quality – will enable marketers to cut through the noise, outperform competitors, and drive meaningful, measurable growth. Those who embrace this shift early will set the pace for performance marketing across MENA's increasingly complex and dynamic landscape. By Rasha ElGhoussaini, Head of Agency, Snap.
