King Salman Gate unveiled adjacent to Mecca’s Grand Mosque

Saudi Arabia has launched a transformative urban development project adjacent to Mecca’s Grand Mosque called King Salman Gate, covering an area of approximately 12 million square meters (4.6 square miles) and aimed at significantly expanding prayer capacity around the holy site (source: Reuters). The development is intended to provide an additional 900,000 indoor and outdoor prayer spaces for pilgrims and worshippers.

According to RUA AlHaram AlMakki Company, the project includes improved access to the Grand Mosque and will likely integrate mixed-use components, although Saudi authorities have not yet disclosed the total cost or execution timeline. The announcement represents one of several giga-scale projects under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda geared toward bolstering religious tourism infrastructure and urban redevelopment.

In April 2025, Sumou Real Estate Company was awarded a contract valued at SAR 680 million (about US$181.1 million) to develop over 900 residential villas in a zone (O2) within the broader Makkah Gate project, suggesting that housing will be a component of the overall plan.