Jordan's $1.5bn Star Trek theme park set to boldy go ahead



A huge new Star Trek-themed attraction in Jordan looks set to get the go-ahead after funding worth $1.5bn was secured for the project.



The ambitious 184-acre site will be called the Red Sea Astrarium and will be located in the coastal town of Aqaba.



It will feature four hotels and Star Trek-themed attractions, including a state of the art 'space-flight adventure' simulator ride, which developers promise will raise 'real-time immersive entertainment experiences to bold new heights'.

Beam me up: An artist's impression of the ambitious 184-acre site, which will feature four hotels and Star Trek-themed attractions

Other attractions in the park will feature Jordan's Nabatean, Babylonian, British and Roman influences, along with theatrical productions, night-time shows, restaurants and shops.



The park is a pet project of King Abdullah of Jordan, who is known to be a fan of Star Trek, having once featured as an extra in an episode of the television show Star Trek: Voyager.



Construction on the park is expected to begin in March 2012 with the opening scheduled for 2014.



Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is also setting its sights big with plans to build the world's tallest tower, some 173 metres taller than the current record holder the Burj Dubai, in the city of Jeddah.



Costing around $1.2 billion , Kingdom Tower will rise over 1,000 meters into the air and will feature a Four Seasons hotel and the world's highest observatory .



