Counselor Muhammad Al Sari, a specialist in business development and entrepreneurship, appreciated the issuance of the royal order, which included the appointment of Counselor Turki bin Abdul Mohsen Al Sheikh as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, which was consistent with the National Transformation Program 2020, the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and the Quality of Life Program.
Al Sari pointed out that the royal order contributes to supporting an increase in local content. through the entertainment industry, and encourage domestic tourism; It is an extension of the role of the General Authority for Sports and the General Entertainment Authority, and the achievements of this fledgling entity, which demonstrated the efficiency of its employees and its ability to achieve added value, create job opportunities and market the Kingdom as a suitable destination for holding events, in addition to the contribution of the General Entertainment Authority to the growth of the sector by offering many programs and events.
Al Sari said: The exit, reluctance and closure of many entertainment facilities in some areas is due to the increase in municipal rents on lands available for entertainment cities, in addition to doubling some fees, and the lack of a reference for the sector. It reduced and limited the growth of entertainment establishments, led to the closure of some of them, and the lack of benefit from global experiences that strengthen the entertainment product and related activities such as the exhibition and conference industry; Referring to the municipalities' failure to create the existing regulatory conditions to encourage investments in the field of entertainment, based on the Transformation Program 2020, the Kingdom's Vision 2030, the Quality of Life Program, the importance of the sector, and the percentage of its contribution to the gross domestic product.
the General Authority for Entertainment; Based on its vision, mission, and goals to intervene urgently, protect the interests of workers in the sector, and take the initiative to build a partnership between the public and private sectors and the non-profit third sector; Stressing the importance of the General Entertainment Authority being the umbrella supporting the growth of the entertainment sector and preserving the interests of investors in the sector, this is represented in building a partnership with the General Authority for State Property; Provided that the General Entertainment Authority is the authorized body for the sectors, and that it performs its role and competence represented in developing the entertainment sector, and that the role of the municipalities is only to establish infrastructure with high standards by encouraging investments in the entertainment and sports sector, and establishing a database that includes all government facilities that can be invested and rented, And capable of hosting entertainment events, and this is represented by creating a platform with the sites and spaces available for holding events and benefiting from the experiences of international countries such as America and France, which offer lands in them
And he called for transferring all the tasks and responsibilities of leasing the entertainment facility and parks to the General Entertainment Authority, based on the authority’s jurisdiction.
Al Sari attributed the obstacles facing the entertainment sector and investors to the reluctance of financing agencies to finance such projects. Pointing out that this problem requires intervention at a high level, and the establishment of an incubator for the entertainment sector entrusted with financing the sector by establishing venture capital funds. To finance the sector, grant soft loans, enter into investments with the private sector and the Public Investment Fund, in addition to investing in existing projects and companies; Noting the need to prepare the infrastructure for the entertainment sector and lease the developed lands at prices similar to the developed lands for the industrial sector, and that an entity be established in the General Authority for State Property, and refer to it regarding the evaluation of lands intended for rent for entertainment activities for specialists from investors in this field, documented and specialized in evaluating lands intended for recreational activities.
And he stressed the need for the entertainment sector and investors to be treated with the same thinking of investing in industrial lands and industrial zones, taking into account the price factor in the sector that it be less than the usual prevailing prices in the activity. Given the importance of the sector and its ability to create many opportunities; Stressing that the advancement of the entertainment industry and the improvement of the quality of life; Its image cannot be completed without the transfer of land competencies from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to the General Authority for Entertainment and the General Authority for State Property and Business Development by building partnerships and building bridges of cooperation with the authorities related to the sector.