Key facts
- French President Emmanuel Macron's office is seeking Saudi investment for a manga theme park.
- The proposed park would be based on the Dragon Ball manga series.
- The project aims to revive the abandoned Mirapolis site near Paris.
- The Qiddiya Investment Company, part of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, is involved in discussions.
- The deal is estimated to exceed €1 billion.
French President Emmanuel Macron's administration is actively seeking investment from Saudi Arabia to redevelop the abandoned Mirapolis theme park site, located northwest of Paris, into a Dragon Ball manga-themed attraction. Discussions have been ongoing for several months, involving potential investors from the Saudi Public Investment Fund, specifically its subsidiary Qiddiya Investment Company. The project is part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative to diversify its economy.
Sources indicate that the deal could surpass €1 billion. Qiddiya Investment Company is already developing a similar Dragon Ball theme park in Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia. Representatives from the French government, including regional authorities and economic development agencies, have met with Saudi officials to discuss the project's feasibility, including governance, infrastructure, and energy needs. Macron's office has not commented on the specifics, and Qiddiya Investment Company has not responded to requests for comment.
Mirapolis, once France's largest theme park, opened in 1987 but closed in 1991 due to financial difficulties and competition, notably from EuroDisney. The revival plan aims for a smaller-scale Dragon Ball park on the original site. Local officials and representatives have expressed varying degrees of awareness and engagement with the project.