FEC veteran Michel Koborsi is optimistic about his latest venture despite being forced to close due to the pandemic.

Ryze High

The Ryze High venue, at a new Abdali mall in Amman, was developed in collaboration with Cheer playgrounds and proved to be an immediate hit with locals. It went into operation just before the Covid-19 lockdown but was then forced to close.

Koborsi said: “Amman is an excellent location in which to run a proper GCC-standard play park. We had an enforced short season, but all of the indications are that it will be welcomed by the community.”

Qatar-based Koborsi, the pioneer of large-scale FECs in the country, having masterminded the opening of Gondolania, has a thriving leasing business in Doha with rides and games.

“For obvious reasons it has been an indifferent year this year with everything shut down since March," he said.

"I think that Qatar is now fairly saturated – a little like the UAE – as all of the Emerati and Saudi big players are now competing in Doha, where it is a rich but repeating market.”