NEOM has unveiled its immersive destination for art and entertainment, Utamo, cocooned in a mountain located along the Gulf of Aqaba coastline.  An innovative event space to host global artists, Utamo is the latest destination to be announced by the sustainable regional development evolving in northwest Saudi Arabia. It creates a unique backdrop for music events, exhibitions, and art activations that will transform traditional entertainment experiences.

NEOM has announced Norlana, a modern, active lifestyle community in Saudi Arabia. The new destination will offer 711 properties, including mansions, apartments, and beach villas, which can accommodate 3,000 inhabitants. Also, there are plans to construct a 120-berth marina.

Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium) is partnering with ENOWA, NEOM’s energy and water company, to establish the world’s first carbon-neutral soda ash production facility in NEOM, Saudi Arabia. Pending the results of an in-depth feasibility study and customary regulatory approvals, Solvay and ENOWA plan to begin operation of the groundbreaking plant by 2030. The state-of-the-art facility is poised to emerge as an industry-leading model for soda ash production on a global scale. It will serve as a vital component in ENOWA’s Water Sustainability Strategy and reflects NEOM’s commitment to developing a zero-liquid discharge water management system.

Food production systems in Saudi Arabia are set to see a sustainability push as NEOM announced the launch of its company Topian.  According to a release by the giga-project, NEOM’s newest subsidiary aims to redefine the methods of food production, distribution and consumption within the Kingdom by developing sustainable and innovative solutions.

A consortium of Saudi Archirodon and DEME has won the second phase of transformation work for the Port of NEOM, the primary seaport of entry to northwest Saudi Arabia.

Qatar Airways expanded services to Saudi Arabia with the launch of the Doha-NEOM Bay flight on Saturday. The NEOM Bay flight will be the 10th route by the airline to the Kingdom. Qatar Airways announced two weekly flights with Airbus A320 aircraft starting Dec. 9 from Hamad International Airport in Doha.

Tendering activity is ramping up at NEOM’s OXAGON development, with contractors competing for an expected SR24bn ($6.4bn) of construction work at the industrial city’s port.   Contractors have been invited to bid by 27 December for an estimated SR12bn design and build contract to deliver infrastructure and building works for Terminal 1 at OXAGON Port. The contract award is expected in February 2024.

Will Smith is the latest celebrity to promote Saudi Arabia. Smith posted a video on Instagram Wednesday morning showing his recent visit to NEOM, a $500 billion project Saudi Arabia is building and hoping to open by next year. The post went out to Smith’s 64 million followers and came during his trip to the Kingdom where he also stopped at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah to plug his upcoming movie.

ENOWA has developed a blueprint for the world’s first renewable, high-voltage smart grid, Peter Terium, the company’s CEO, told Arab News.  In an interview on the sidelines of the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference, Terium said that the “grid of microgrids” will allow ENOWA to supply the NEOM region with sizable, 100 percent renewable electricity that simultaneously provides a 50 percent reduction of the corridor footprint.