RIYADH – Saudi Arabia has confirmed it is opening up the country’s firstcinema hall open to the public in its capital Riyadh on April 18.

The Saudi Ministry of Information confirmed that 350 cinema theatres with2,500 screens are expected to be open across several Saudi cities by 2030,Al Arabiya has reported.

Saudi Arabia has announced that it will open 40 cinemas in 15 Saudi citiesover the next five years as part of plans to develop the entertainmentsector in the Kingdom.

The General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia announced Wednesday thesigning of an agreement with AMC, the first company to obtain a license tooperate cinemas in the Kingdom.

The granting of the license was announced on the sidelines of Saudi CrownPrince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the city of Los Angeles in the UnitedStates.

AMC has the largest movie market in the United States and is the world’slargest cinema chain with more than 2,200 screens, 244 theaters in Europealone, and more than 8,200 screens in 661 theaters in America.

Saudi Arabia has taken steps to open up the entertainment sector anddevelop investment in it by signing an agreement with Six Flags to developrecreational parks, as well as to announce the project “Al Qadeya”, thelargest cultural, sporting and entertainment city in Saudi Arabia.

Among the most important Saudi entertainment sector developments, thedecision is set to make cinemas available in the Kingdom with expectedpresence from the UAE’s VOX Cinemas, Vu the British chain, the American AMCand the Canadian IMAX.

Plans have also been announced of investing $64 billion in the Saudientertainment sector over the next 10 years, as well as allowing women toattend concerts and setting up 5,000 recreational events in 2018.