Saudi Crown Prince MBS's visit to France unveiled a colossal amusement‑park project near Paris, signalling a major Saudi‑French leisure‑investment tie‑up
Executive summary: During Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to France on 24‑25 August 2026, a colossal amusement‑park project near Paris was unveiled as part of the first Franco‑Saudi strategic partnership council meeting. The plan entails a €6 billion Saudi investment that could create about 22 000 direct jobs and significantly boost tourism and leisure infrastructure around Paris.
Who is involved: Key actors include Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi and French government officials, and potential developers and construction firms.
Likely next: Next steps involve feasibility studies, site selection, formal investment agreements, and submission of environmental and urban‑planning permits, with ground‑breaking expected within the next 12‑24 months.
The announcement came during the inaugural Franco‑Saudi strategic partnership council meeting, where Mohamed Ben Salman and Emmanuel Macron highlighted a planned €6 billion investment for three theme parks close to the French capital. The project is positioned as unprecedented since Disneyland Paris and is promised to generate roughly 22 000 direct jobs. While the news emphasizes the scale of the commitment, no details on financing structure, exact sites, or timelines were provided in the sources.
Timeline
- — A l’occasion de la visite du prince héritier saoudien « MBS », un projet « colossal » de parc d’attractions près de Paris a été dévoilé (Le Monde — Économie)
- — Manga-inspired theme park to be built near Paris (BBC Business)
- — L’Arabie saoudite prévoit d’investir 6 milliards d’euros pour créer trois parcs d’attractions près de Paris, annonce Emmanuel Macron (Le Monde — Économie)
Analysis — what this means
Sectors affected
- Leisure and amusement park operations
- Construction and civil engineering
- Tourism and hospitality
- Real estate development
Historical parallels
- Disneyland Paris opening (1992)
- Walt Disney Studios Park expansion (2002)
- Universal Studios Singapore opening (2010)
Key entities
Sources
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