AtkinsRéalis, a global leader in design and engineering, in partnership with Qiddiya Investment Company, has brought to life Six Flags Qiddiya City, the first Six Flags destination in Saudi Arabia and the first Six Flags Park to be built entirely outside North America. The project also introduces the world’s first Six Flags theme park – the first of 70 major assets – marking a significant addition to the Kingdom’s rapidly expanding leisure and tourism landscape.
The opening ceremony, held under the patronage of HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Province, marks the first major attraction to launch within Qiddiya City and a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme to develop large-scale, internationally competitive entertainment destinations.
Located southwest of Riyadh, Six Flags Qiddiya City spans more than 320,000 square metres and comprises 10 zones across six immersive themed lands, featuring 28 attractions, 35 food, beverages and retail outlets. The park introduces a more immersive, story-driven format for the Six Flags brand, with themed environments developed specifically for Saudi Arabia and informed by local culture and context.
AtkinsRéalis partnered with Qiddiya Investment Company from early concept through to delivery, providing fully integrated, multidisciplinary design and engineering services across architecture, structures, infrastructure, public realm and ride integration. Design development was led by AtkinsRéalis’ in-house creative teams working alongside engineering specialists.
Matthew Tribe, Senior Vice President, Buildings and Places, AtkinsRéalis, said: “Six Flags Qiddiya City reflects the scale and ambition of Saudi Arabia’s investment in entertainment and tourism. Delivering a project of this complexity required close collaboration with Qiddiya Investment Company and careful coordination across creative, design and engineering disciplines.”
Bradley Caruk, Global Director of Creative and Technical Show Design, AtkinsRéalis, said: “We’re redefining entertainment in this region where cutting-edge technology meets boundless creativity. Our pursuit is to deliver immersive, unforgettable guest experiences, pushing the limits of innovation and storytelling to create a world-class destination like no other.”
Bahar Jafarzadeh, Architecture and Design Management Lead, AtkinsRéalis: “Our design for Six Flags Qiddiya City shows what’s possible when creativity, architecture, and engineering unite. We helped turn a bold vision into reality; six immersive lands offering a seamless, guest-focused journey. From cliff-edge foundations to culturally inspired spaces, we contributed to solving unprecedented challenges without compromising safety, storytelling, or quality. The result: a resilient, future-ready park that sets new benchmarks and reflects Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”
Six Flags Qiddiya City opens with five record-breaking attractions, collectively setting world records across height, speed and scale. Signature experiences include Falcons Flight, the world’s tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster; Sirocco Tower, the tallest free-standing shot tower; Gyrospin, the tallest pendulum ride; Spitfire, the tallest inverting top-hat coaster; and Iron Rattler, the tallest tilt coaster.
The arrival of the Six Flags brand at Qiddiya City reinforces the Kingdom’s commitment to expanding domestic tourism and diversifying its economy through destination-scale leisure developments. The project also builds on the long-standing partnership between AtkinsRéalis and Qiddiya Investment Company in delivering complex developments that support Saudi Arabia’s long-term growth ambitions.