The Journal. Neom, Pt 1: Skiing in the Desert
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Apr 25, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, Rory Jones, a WSJ Middle East reporter, delves into Saudi Arabia's ambitious Neom project, aimed at transforming the desert into a futuristic urban paradise. He explores the audacious plans for a desert ski resort and monumental skyscrapers. As they unpack the challenges of budget overruns and political hurdles, listeners also hear from individuals who left everything behind to be part of this extraordinary vision. The conversation raises fascinating questions about the feasibility and implications of such grand aspirations.
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Neom's Vision and Ambition
- Neom is a vision to create a futuristic city combining tourism, tech innovation, and cultural diversity.
- MBS compared Neom's transformative impact to the leap from old phones to the iPhone.
Saudi Oil Dependency Challenges
- Saudi Arabia's heavy reliance on oil created economic and workforce challenges for the kingdom.
- MBS recognized the urgent need to diversify the economy and shift employment to the private sector.
Social Reforms Drive Economy
- MBS initiated social reforms allowing women to drive and mixing of genders in public.
- These changes helped build a consumer economy by expanding workforce participation and entertainment.