Jeddah set for $1bn Trump Plaza, Saudi developer Dar Global reveals

Strategically located along King Abdulaziz Road in the heart of Jeddah, the project will transform the city’s skyline with a mixed-use community. Supplied
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Updated 29 September 2025
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Jeddah set for $1bn Trump Plaza, Saudi developer Dar Global reveals

JEDDAH: Saudi developer Dar Global plans a $1 billion Trump Plaza Jeddah in its second collaboration with the Trump Organization, aiming to transform the city’s skyline with a mixed-use project. 

The development follows the launch of Trump Tower Jeddah in December and will feature premium residences, serviced apartments, Grade-A office space, and exclusive townhouses. 

Jeddah, a key commercial and cultural hub, is attracting strong interest from international developers in high-end residential, hospitality, and mixed-use projects. The development comes amid rapid growth in Saudi Arabia’s luxury real estate sector, driven by Vision 2030’s goals to diversify the economy and transform urban living.  

By 2024, the Kingdom had invested SR4.9 trillion ($1.3 trillion) in infrastructure, expanding residential, commercial, and hospitality capacities, with plans for over a million new residential units and seven million sq. meters of retail and office space. 

Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Dar Global, said: “Trump Plaza Jeddah is a pioneering concept in Saudi Arabia and one of the most ambitious developments Dar Global has undertaken to date.”  

He added: “By combining residential, serviced, and office components with a Central Park-inspired landscape, we are delivering a unique lifestyle destination that reflects both Manhattan’s vibrancy and Jeddah’s strategic role as a cultural and commercial hub.” 

Strategically located along King Abdulaziz Road in the heart of Jeddah, the project will transform the city’s skyline with a mixed-use community, according to a press release. 

“We are honored to expand our footprint in Saudi Arabia with the Trump Plaza Jeddah. This project embodies our vision of excellence by blending world-class hospitality, modern living, and dynamic business environments,” said Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization. 

The development also comes as Trump Tower Jeddah — a 47-floor luxury development along the Red Sea coast — entered its pre-construction phase, as confirmed in May by Eric Trump, son of US President Donald Trump. 

The tower represents one of Saudi Arabia’s most high-profile real estate ventures, highlighting the scale of the Dar Global–Trump Organization partnership. 

Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Dar Global was founded as the international arm of Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Development, a leading Saudi real estate developer. 


Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Samref ink deal to study Yanbu refinery upgrade

Updated 08 December 2025
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Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Samref ink deal to study Yanbu refinery upgrade

RIYADH: Energy giants Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, and Samref have signed a venture framework agreement to upgrade the Yanbu refinery and expand it into an integrated petrochemical complex.

As a part of the deal, the companies will explore capital investments to upgrade and diversify production, including high-quality distillates that result in lower emissions and high-performance chemicals, according to a joint press statement.

The agreement will also see the parties explore opportunities to improve the refinery’s energy efficiency and reduce environmental impacts from operations through an integrated emissions-reduction strategy.

Samref is an equally owned joint venture between Aramco and Mobil Yanbu Refining Co. Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corp.

The refinery currently has the capacity to process more than 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing a diverse range of energy products, including propane, automotive diesel oil, marine heavy fuel oil, and sulfur.

“This next phase of Samref marks a step in our long-term strategic collaboration with ExxonMobil. Designed to increase the conversion of crude oil and petroleum liquids into high-value chemicals, this project reinforces our commitment to advancing Downstream value creation and our liquids-to-chemicals strategy,” said Aramco Downstream President, Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani.

He added that the deal will help position Samref as a key driver of the Kingdom’s petrochemical sector’s growth.

The press statement further said that companies will commence a preliminary front-end engineering and design phase for the proposed project, which would aim to maximize operational advantages, enhance Samref’s competitiveness, and help to meet growing demand for high-quality petrochemical products in Saudi Arabia.

The firms added that these plans are subject to market conditions, regulatory approvals, and final investment decisions by Aramco and ExxonMobil.

“We value our partnership with Aramco and our long history in Saudi Arabia. We look forward to evaluating this project, which aligns with our strategy to focus on investments that allow us to grow high-value products that meet society’s evolving energy needs and contribute to a lower-emission future,” said Jack Williams, senior vice president of Exxon Mobil Corp.