The Empire State Building, Philadelphia City and Burj Khalifa share a significant commonality – they have all held the prestigious title of the world’s tallest skyscraper at various points in time. Now, a new contender, the Jeddah Tower, a neo-futuristic skyscraper planned in Saudi Arabia, aims to join the ranks of these iconic structures. This ambitious project, however, faced a sudden setback in its quest for the sky due to a power struggle among wealthy investors.
Billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal initially spearheaded the endeavour to construct a colossal 1,000-meter-high tower in Saudi Arabia. This ambitious endeavour would dwarf even London’s Shard and outstretch Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, which currently claims the title of the world’s tallest tower.
The construction of 63 stories of this mammoth building took place between 2015 and 2017, following the completion of piling work in December 2013 and above-ground construction that commenced in September 2014. However, the ambitious project encountered a roadblock when two key investors found themselves entangled in legal troubles.
In November 2017, it was reported by Reuters that prominent investors, including Prince Alwaleed and Bakr Bin Laden, were arrested on charges ranging from money laundering and bribery to extorting officials. Prince Alwaleed was detained at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh for 83 days. Upon his release, he remained tight-lipped about the details, emphasizing that the discussions held with the government were confidential. Reports suggesting a $6 billion payment for his release were met with evasion.
The once-ambitious tower, originally planned to have 252 storeys, now stood at a mere 63 stories and reached a height of only 250 meters instead of the intended 1,000 meters. The structure appeared like a skeletal framework with hollow concrete rooms, encircled by a prominent orange crane.
More than five years later, the Jeddah Tower project appears to be back on track and under construction. The official website of the tower succinctly declares, “It’s Happening.” The tower’s management has invited several companies to submit bids for the project, which stands at one-third completion. Before inviting bids, an independent assessment of the current state of the building was commissioned by the Jeddah Economic Company.