Macron’s office seeks Saudi funding for Dragon Ball theme park near Paris
The Elysée has reportedly held months-long talks with Saudi investors to revive the abandoned Mirapolis park near Paris as a Dragon Ball-themed attraction, with a deal potentially exceeding €1 billion.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s administration is reportedly seeking investment from Saudi Arabia to transform the abandoned Mirapolis theme park, located about 30 kilometers northwest of Paris, into a manga-themed attraction. According to several diplomatic, government and industry sources, the Elysée Palace has held discussions for months with potential Saudi investors. The project is described as highly confidential.
Qiddiya Investment Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is central to the negotiations. The sovereign wealth fund recently opened an office in Paris. The plan reportedly involves Saudi investors acquiring the former Mirapolis site and building a theme park based on the popular Dragon Ball manga series. While the exact investment figure remains undisclosed, parties involved suggest it could surpass €1 billion.
The initiative fits into Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the kingdom’s economy away from oil through tourism and leisure. Qiddiya Investment Company is already developing the Qiddiya entertainment complex near Riyadh, which will include a Formula 1 circuit, a tennis venue, a Six Flags amusement park, and another Dragon Ball-themed park. The French project is expected to be a smaller-scale version of the Dragon Ball park.
Progress has been reported in the form of high-level meetings. Qiddiya’s Managing Director Abdullah Aldawood attended the last two Choose France summits, where a memorandum of understanding was cryptically referenced. He also met with Valérie Pécresse, president of the Île-de-France region, as well as representatives of Business France and Choose Paris Region. Late last month, officials from the region met with representatives of ten ministries, RTE electricity grid operator, and Île-de-France Mobilités to discuss governance, transport, energy, and land issues. The meeting was chaired by Georges-François Leclerc, Macron’s former chief of staff and now prefect of the region.
Mirapolis was opened in 1987 by then-Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, with backing from Saudi billionaire Ghaith Pharaon. It was intended to challenge U.S. dominance in the theme park industry, but low visitor numbers and competition from EuroDisney led to its closure in 1991. The site has been abandoned since.
Local officials, including the mayor of Courdimanche, did not respond to requests for comment. Socialist senator Rachid Temal said he was not involved, while MP Aurélien Taché of France Unbowed said he was not informed and would scrutinize the project’s environmental and social impact.
