Saudi Arabia signs $7B deal to build 3 theme parks near Paris

Saudi Arabia and France on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding for a €6 billion ($7 billion) investment to construct three theme parks near Paris, in what French President Emmanuel Macron called the largest entertainment development in France since Disneyland Paris.

The agreement was signed during a two-day visit to France by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with the French presidency's Elysee Palace describing the project as "colossal." The MoU was signed by Roland Lescure, France's Economy and Finance Minister, and Abdullah Al Dawood, Director General of Qiddiya Investment Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.dailysabah+2

A Manga-Themed Destination

The three parks will be built near Cergy-Pontoise, roughly 30 kilometers northwest of Paris. One park is expected to be themed around the Japanese manga and anime franchise Dragon Ball, though the themes of the other two have not been disclosed. The project originated from a conversation between Macron and the crown prince during the French president's visit to Riyadh in December 2024, where they discovered a "shared passion" for manga, "and in particular Dragon Ball Z," according to a Macron adviser.gulfnews+1

"You know my passion for manga. You also know my determination to attract to France the investments that create jobs and make the most ambitious projects possible," Macron wrote on X.thenationalnews

The parks are expected to create 22,000 direct jobs, compared with the roughly 20,000 generated by Disneyland Paris.dailysabah+1

Diplomatic and Economic Context

The visit marks a rare foreign trip for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who seldom travels abroad outside of international summits. On Sunday, Macron hosted the crown prince at the Esports World Cup closing ceremony, which took place outside Saudi Arabia for the first time.dailysabah+1

The site near Cergy-Pontoise once housed Mirapolis, France's first theme park, which opened in 1987 with private Saudi funding but closed due to financial difficulties. Valerie Pecresse, head of the Ile-de-France region, told broadcaster TF1 that the regional government had been working on the project for 18 months, calling it "a project on the scale of Disneyland."thenationalnews+1

Construction Timeline Unclear

The parks will be built and opened in stages, with construction expected to take several years, though no opening date has been given. Asked about entrusting the project to Saudi Arabia despite criticism of its human rights record, Macron's office said: "At no point, when we attract a project, do we seek to lecture others."gulfnews+1