NEOM Scaled Back: The Line Cut to Under 300,000

Saudi authorities have outlined a substantial scaling back of NEOM, the government megaproject launched in Tabuk Province in 2017 as a special economic zone under رؤية السعودية 2030. After years of delays and cost overruns, several of the project's most futuristic plans are being revised in favour of a more practical, phased delivery.

The biggest changes affect The Line, the flagship linear city. Originally envisioned as a 170 km car-free development for millions of residents, its target population for 2030 has now been cut to fewer than 300,000. To date only about 2.4 km of foundations have been completed, with no above-ground structure built. Construction was halted in September 2025 following a strategic review by the Public Investment Fund and remains suspended into 2026, with work on the full 170 km stretch delayed until after 2030.

A phased, demand-led strategy

NEOM is shifting toward a phased, demand-led approach that prioritises liveability, sustainability and commercially viable components over the original spectacle-driven concept. The number of promoted economic sectors on official materials has been reduced from 15 to 12, dropping manufacturing and financial services and merging media with entertainment and culture. Some planning scenarios now consider using parts of The Line mainly as a hub for AI-focused data centres rather than a large residential city.

Other components are also being reshaped. Trojena, the planned year-round mountain ski resort, has seen its flagship event postponed, and the 2029 Asian Winter Games set for the site have been indefinitely delayed in favour of standalone winter sports events. The luxury island resort Sindalah no longer appears as a standalone flagship, with messaging now built around the "Islands of NEOM," emphasising coral reefs and marine ecosystems.

For residents and businesses across the Kingdom, the adjustments signal a move toward realistic, deliverable phases. Officials expect the final realised project to be far smaller than first envisaged, with The Line now described as a core component of a longer-term vision rather than its defining centrepiece.

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