Diriyah Company has awarded a construction contract worth $1.4 billion (SAR 5.1 billion) for the development of the iconic Royal Diriyah Opera House and several surrounding facilities. The contract was secured by a consortium consisting of El Seif Engineering Contracting, Midmac Construction, and China State Construction Engineering Corporation, according to the Public Investment Fund-backed developer.

Designed by Norwegian architects Snøhetta, the main auditorium of the opera house will seat 2,000 guests and will be managed by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. The venue will also feature a 450-seat studio theater, a rooftop amphitheater with 450 seats, and multipurpose halls, bringing the total seating capacity to 3,100.

The scope of the contract also includes the construction of a five-star hotel and a mixed-use residential complex.

Although no construction timeline has been announced yet, the broader Diriyah development is set to house 100,000 residents, welcome 50 million visitors annually, and add $18.6 billion directly to Saudi Arabia’s GDP.