Part 6/10:
Having invested more than $50 billion, Neom's vision became entangled with soaring costs, significant delays, and the task of building a massive city in virtually deserted terrain. The logistics of construction were daunting, given the lack of local labor, infrastructure, and resources.
Critics pointed out the ambitious nature of Neom's "The Line," a series of vertical skyscrapers meant to be taller than the Empire State Building. MBS envisioned a space unlike any other – with amenities such as a hyperloop system and tech-driven lifestyles. Initially projected to cost around $200 billion, the financial needs ballooned, leading to a staggering revision estimating a total investment of approximately $8.8 trillion. This figure alone represents 25 times the annual budget of Saudi Arabia.