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Riyadh tenders first Expo 2030 construction work

7 July 2025

 

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Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030 Riyadh Company (ERC), tasked with delivering the Riyadh Expo 2030 venue, has tendered a contract to build the site offices required for the initial construction works at the project site in Riyadh.

MEED understands that the contract was tendered on 29 May, with bids due in the first week of July.

The announcement follows the establishment of ERC as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) that will build and operate facilities for Expo 2030 in June.

In a statement, the PIF said: “During its construction phases, Expo 2030 Riyadh and its legacy are projected to contribute around $64bn to Saudi GDP and generate approximately 171,000 direct and indirect jobs. Once operational, it is expected to contribute approximately $5.6bn to GDP.”

The masterplan for Expo 2030 Riyadh encompasses an area of 6 square kilometres, making it one of the largest sites designated for a World Expo. Situated to the north of the city, the expo site will be located near the future King Salman International airport, providing direct access to various landmarks within the Saudi capital.

Countries participating in Expo 2030 Riyadh will have the option to construct permanent pavilions, contributing to the event’s legacy. This initiative is expected to create opportunities for business and investment growth in the region.

The expo is projected to attract over 40 million visitors. After the event concludes, ERC plans to convert the expo’s secured area into a global village, to serve as a multicultural centre for retail and dining. This development will also feature an international residential community with a range of amenities, with a focus on sustainable tourism practices.

Expo 2030 Riyadh will run from 1 October 2030 to 31 March 2031.

Last month, MEED reported that the PIF had named Talal Al-Marri as the CEO of ERC. 

Al-Marri has previously held several senior executive roles at Saudi Aramco, including president and CEO of Aramco Europe, senior vice-president of community services and senior vice-president of industrial services.

In May, MEED exclusively reported that Riyadh had begun talks with stakeholders in preparation for the commencement of construction work for the event.

The discussions were understood to have been held with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the PIF.

German architectural firm Lava Architects and US-based engineering firm Jacobs are assisting with the project masterplan and the design of infrastructure for the site.

READ THE JULY 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

UAE and Turkiye expand business links; Renewed hope lies on the horizon for trouble-beset Levant region; Gulf real estate momentum continues even as concerns emerge

Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the July 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

> PROJECTS MARKET: GCC projects market collapses
> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf projects index continues climb
To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
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Yasir Iqbal

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    Kuwait’s state-owned upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has extended bid deadlines for six vital oil projects, which are estimated to be worth a total of $2.5bn.

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    The scope of the contract also includes a new injection facility at GC-31 and effluent water injection networks in north Kuwait. The project’s latest bid deadline has been set for 5 August.

    The second contract is to develop the planned Mutriba remote boosting facility in northwest Kuwait. It was originally tendered earlier this year with a bid submission deadline of 29 June. The deadline has now been extended to 17 August.

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    Effluent water injection or water flooding is a secondary hydrocarbons recovery technique where produced water is injected into a well’s formation under high pressure and temperature conditions to recover more of the oil initially in place.

    The fourth project is estimated to be worth around $100m and is focused on the construction of a new injection network in north Kuwait that will service the Sabriyah/Bahra (SA/BA) area. Its bid deadline has also been extended to 5 August.

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    The project was originally tendered in November last year with a bid deadline of 1 December 2024. Other recent deadlines have included 15 July, 24 June, 27 May, 27 April and 6 April.

    In an announcement in April last year, KOC prequalified up to 15 contractors to bid for these projects:

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    King Salman International Airport Development Company (KSIADC) has received best and final offers (bafos) for a design-and-build contract to develop the third runway at King Salman International airport (KSIA) in Riyadh.

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  • Miral moves Harry Potter theme park bid deadline

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    Abu Dhabi’s Miral has extended the bid submission deadline for a tender to build a Harry Potter-themed expansion at the Warner Bros World Yas Island entertainment destination in Abu Dhabi.

    Earlier this month, MEED exclusively reported that the tender for the estimated AED2bn-AED3bn ($545m-$816m) main construction works had been issued to contractors, with bids initially due on 28 July.

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    Miral has developed a series of theme parks and other entertainment-related attractions on Yas Island, working with several local and international contractors.

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