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Theme Park Developer Puts Brakes on Six Flags Dubai Project

Theme Park Developer Puts Brakes on Six Flags Dubai Project

(Bloomberg) -- DXB Entertainments PJSC is putting the brakes on Dubai’s latest roller-coaster ride.

It halted plans to open a Six Flags theme park in the Middle East’s business hub as the funding is no longer available after concerns about the project’s projections., the company said Wednesday.

Dubai’s economy has been slowing in recent years amid an oil slump that hit big spenders from neighboring Gulf states who used to flock to the emirate. Residential property values have also slid about 25 percent from the 2014 peak, including a 10 percent drop last year.

Read More: Dubai Developers Get Reality Check on What Their Bonds Are Worth

DXB Entertainments, originally known as Dubai Parks & Resorts, hasn’t posted a profit since it listed in 2014. The company, which also operates Legoland and another park inspired by Bollywood, said in November the Six Flags project was under review.

Theme Park Developer Puts Brakes on Six Flags Dubai Project

DXB Entertainments, which counts Qatar Investment Authority as its second-biggest shareholder, said last year that the business continued to focus on reaching a break-even point as measured by earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization. The stock has lost about 85 percent of its value since a peak in 2016.

--With assistance from Dana Khraiche.

To contact the reporter on this story: Filipe Pacheco in Dubai at fpacheco4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Celeste Perri at cperri@bloomberg.net, Shaji Mathew, Claudia Maedler

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