Awhile back a reader on the blog mentioned that TEC (Touristic Enterprises Company) were building a skatepark, so I emailed the person asking about it as well as a few other things and this is what I found out:
– The new skatepark will be located next to the ice skating rink in Kuwait City. There will be a new sports complex built there and the skatepark will be a part of it. The project is currently on hold because TEC is working with the Diwan Al Amiri to integrate the whole area which will include a new ice skating rink and a new musical fountain with water screens and fire shows. Initially they wanted to build each of the projects separately but the new TEC CEO wants to combine them all into one large project and make it as great as Al Shaheed Park which is right next door. The new project will have to work around the existing Discovery Mall building.
– Regarding the Kuwait Towers, the Amir wants the Kuwait Towers to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site so all work on the interior had to be put on hold. Work will continue after a meeting with UNESCO in Paris where they will receive the rules and specifications required to be approved as a UNESCO site. UNESCO doesn’t mind the exterior as much as the interior but the original plan of the towers had a disco dance floor as well as a bar so they’re waiting to see exactly how much of that can be changed.
– As I previously posted, Entertainment City is shutting down. They’re bringing in a firm to do a feasibility study so they can rebuild the park from the ground up. My contact didn’t mention Six Flags and he literally said “we will start re-building it” so my guess is the park will remain with TEC.
– TEC is currently considering turning Shaab Park into a LEGO Theme Park
– There are still around 12 other projects in the pipeline including a world class water park
I found all this very encouraging and exciting except for one aspect, the ice skating rink. I really hope they don’t demolish the current one, I think it’s as important to Kuwait’s History and landscape as are the water towers and Kuwait Towers. I wasn’t able to get access to the 3D renderings of the sports complex project because the contracts with the design firm hasn’t been finalized but if anyone here has them by any chance please email me them.
If I find out any more information on any of the above projects I’ll make sure to share them here on the blog.
Entertainment City photo by Ahmed Al Bather
15 replies on “New Ice Skating Rink, Musical Fountains a Skatepark and other new projects”
The ideas look promising !
Hope the management of TEC are up to that mission.
I agree with Mark, they should keep the ice skating rink and try to renovate it and build the new project around it.
Historical places have value and people don’t put that in mind. And by that I am not standing against new projects, but I am with keeping and renovating old buildings.
Wow, that sounds awesome. I wonder if the skate park will be like the VANS skate park in California? Do you know if ECity has closed down yet? I agree they should leave the skating rink but it seems like they are trying to erase the past so who knows. My question is – when they redo the skating rink does that mean they will no longer be holding shows and concerts there?
I assume they will be be using the existing parking lot for the expansion, will there be adequate parking afterwards?
They only held shows and concerts at the skating rink because we didn’t have any decent venues.. that is about to change. I still hope they keep it though
They should remove those cheap lights on Kuwait Towers first. They’re just hanging loosely and not fitted making the towers look strangely oval shaped at night and ugly in daylight.
Cheap lights? What are you talking about they look great at night!
Indeed.. I can’t get enough of them!
I’m sorry but they’re cheap and they suck and so does the Seef Roundabout btw.
Seed roundabout I completely agree but not the kuwait towers
A national monument and symbol and a potential world heritage site certainly shouldn’t have them.
The French must have not gotten your memo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODJjZ9ZkIJ0
That looks good and impeccable, but if a glowing net was just thrown on the Eiffel Tower it wouldn’t look so good.
especially in daylight.
You could think whatever you want but I like it and think it’s great and I’m glad they didn’t remove it after February was done.
Discovery Mall is a blight on the landscape. A totally pointless structure that only got built as a testament to the vicious corruption of the “baladia”. By rights it shouldn’t even exist! It’s sad that they have to “build around” it
I think we should do something for alSeef roundabout !!
It can’t stay like that forever, the renovation was a disgrace !