Opening date announced for luxury shopping and entertainment district Via Riyadh

The opening date for a new luxury shopping and entertainment center in Riyadh has been announced.

Via Riyadh will be open to the public on May 11, according to a tweet from Turki al-Sheikh, the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA).

It will feature a five-star St Regis hotel, 22 luxury stores, 15 restaurants and cafes, seven cinemas, and an international food market.

The new venue will also include a theater for live performances, which will be inaugurated by Saudi singer Abdul Majeed Abdullah on May 18.

Via Riyadh is located next to the Saudi capital’s Ritz Carlton hotel, near the entrance to the Diplomatic Quarter.

It was inaugurated by Turki Al Sheikh in January ahead of its opening to the public, which was originally slated for mid-February.

Restaurants at Via Riyadh include Michelin star holding Indian eatery Gymkhana, and Spago, the restaurant of Austrian-American celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck.

Some of the luxury stores include those of American fashion designer Brandon Maxwell and world-renowned Lebanese fashionista Elie Saab.

Via Riyadh is part of a wider initiative by the GEA under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan to modernize the country and develop its entertainment sector to help diversify the oil-dependent economy.