More details have emerged regarding Saudi Arabia’s plans for the TROJENA and OXAGON segments of their $500 billion NEOM megaproject after the country participated in a regional real estate trade conference in Riyadh last week.

As part of the inaugural Cityscape Global meeting, promoters of NEOM were on hand to present their accelerated plans for each development, which are alternatively a ski resort/wildlife reserve and a manmade industrial island with residential tracts that can accommodate up to 90,000 residents. Details about Sindalah, a massive yacht club and terraced beach resort island, were presented as well. 

The event was meant to lure potential investors and property buyers through a high-tech sales pitch with immersive exhibitions and panel discussions featuring members of NEOM’s leadership team. Models of each site were included along with VR headset tours, architectural drawings, and other media relating to the development, which is being marketed for a first phase completion by the end of 2025.

A live stream of construction progress on the sites was also part of the presentation. Photos of the event and models appear to show a new ‘Discovery Tower’ commercial high-rise structure for TROJENA and the repetition of other biomimetic designs for the lodging components of each resort development. A “rewilding” partnership with the Saudi National Centre of Wildlife was also unveiled, complemented by “Wes Anderson-inspired” short documentaries. Over $30 billion worth of sales were reported at the conference overall.

The Gulf state is committed to its plan for the megadevelopment, which promises a “revolution in urban living.” Already more than 20% of the preparatory infrastructure works have reportedly been completed. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman repeated over the summer his claims that NEOM’s main The Line segment is a necessary bulwark against the country’s expected population boom, despite the overstated tourist and luxury destination appeals of the satellite developments. 

Current projections have the smart city being mostly ready by the year 2039, with Atkins, AECOM, and a team of star architects attached to help guide the self-styled “zero gravity urbanism” concept toward completion.