|
"We're very honored to be provided with an opportunity to
enter into a partnership to bring Six Flags to the kingdom ...
Our parks can provide the entertainment to which Saudis aspire,"
CEO John Duffey said. His comments were dubbed into Arabic.
Duffey did not elaborate on the terms of the partnership.
He was speaking following a meeting with Saudi deputy crown
prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is visiting the United States to
promote a reform plan to wean the kingdom away from oil revenue.
The powerful royal, who also heads the country's economic
council, hopes the so-called "Vision 2030" initiative will
jumpstart the private sector, provide jobs for a growing
population and improve Saudis' cloistered lifestyles.
"We consider culture and entertainment indispensable to our
quality of life. We are well aware that the cultural and
entertainment opportunities currently available do not reflect
the rising aspirations of our citizens and residents," the 2030
plan said in April.
Salman's reform plans flirt with social change in a country
where women are barred from driving, cinemas are banned and
women's sports are discouraged as promoting sin.
It is unclear whether the theme park company will tailor its
rides, which include water slides, to the social codes of a
country where public spaces are gender segregated and patrolled
by state-sponsorsored Islamic morality enforcers.
Six Flags operates approximately 20 theme and water parks in
North America and signed an agreement with a private Ho Chi Minh
City based company in March to open two parks in Vietnam.
Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai are encouraging the development of
theme parks to help boost foreign tourist arrivals as oil prices
slump, causing an economic slowdown in the region.
(Corrects attribution, spelling of Duffey.)
(Reporting By Noah Browning; Editing by Keith Weir)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
