Contracts worth $665m have been awarded by Saudi Arabia’s Sports Boulevard Foundation to multiple Saudi companies for the construction of Phase One of its wellness project in Riyadh. Sports Boulevard is one of four wellbeing projects being planned by the Saudi government in the heart of the capital, with investments expected to total $23bn.

Along with King Salman Park, Green Riyadh and Riyadh Art, Sports Boulevard is said to complement Saudi Vision 2030’s Quality of Life programme and is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to create sustainable cities and communities, while driving urgent action against climate change.

According to a statement, the projects were launched in 2019, in bid to improve the lives of Saudi citizens besides transforming the city into an attractive destination and making it one of the world’s most livable cities. The projects will jointly offer opportunities worth $15bn for the private sector to invest in the residential, commercial, recreational and wellness areas.

Billed as a first-of-its-kind project in the region, Sports Boulevard will feature a 135km-long professional cycling track covering the city and the surrounding valleys. It will connect Wadi Hanifah valley in the West with Wadi Al Sulai valley in the East through Prince Muhammad Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Road. It will feature green pedestrian pathways, special routes for professional and amateur cyclists (135 and 90km respectively) and horse-riding routes (123km), the statement noted.

Sports Boulevard will feature nine key components: Hanifah Valley Zone; Art Zone; Al Yasen Zone; Recreational Zone; Sports Zone; The Sports Tower; Environmental Zone; Al Sulai Valley Zone and the Sand Dunes Park Zone. Adding 3.5m sqm of new open space across the city, Sports Boulevard will also feature a sports pavilion, riding stables and athletics tracks, accommodating a wide variety of sports activities. This project has been designed with full accessibility for all segments of the population, the statement concluded.