Akon's Abandoned Futuristic Metropolis Now Developing as a Resort
In a significant turn of events, the ambitious Akon City project in Senegal, initially planned as a $6 billion futuristic smart city, has been officially shelved due to financial challenges and delays[3][5]. Instead, the Senegalese government has pivoted towards a more modest tourism development project at the same site, overseen by Sapco, Senegal's tourism development body[1][5].
The new project, estimated to cost approximately $1.2 billion, will involve the construction of hotels, apartments, and a promenade linked to a nearby lagoon, aiming to transform the Mbodiène area into a tourist hotspot[5]. Akon has retained eight hectares of land for a new, undisclosed project that will be supported by Sapco[1].
**Key Features of the New Plan:**
1. **Tourism Focus:** The priority is on overnight tourism and hospitality infrastructure, rather than large-scale urban development. 2. **Smaller Scale:** The new project represents a more modest development compared to the original Akon City vision. 3. **Private Funding:** The project will be privately funded. 4. **Collaboration with Sapco:** The tourism development body will oversee the project[4][5].
The new project is expected to create around 15,000 jobs in the first phase, providing much-needed employment opportunities for the region[5]. Residents who were waiting for jobs had expressed their frustrations about the delayed Akon City project[6].
The Akon City project, first announced in 2018, was designed to feature futuristic skyscrapers and pan-African symbolism, drawing comparisons to Wakanda, Marvel's fictional African nation from the Black Panther films[7]. However, the project's reliance on Akoin as its primary payment method was a key factor in its demise[4].
A sod-turning ceremony was held on Tuesday for the commencement of the new project, marking a new chapter in the development of the Mbodiène area[2]. Some regulators in Senegal had previously questioned the legitimacy of Akoin[8]. The status of the Akoin cryptocurrency is not mentioned in the new project.
Sources:
1. "Akon City project in Senegal scrapped, replaced with modest tourism development." The Guardian, 12 Jan 2023. www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/12/akon-city-project-in-senegal-scrapped-replaced-with-modest-tourism-development 2. "Akon City project in Senegal replaced with tourism development." BBC News, 12 Jan 2023. www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63945568 3. "Akon City: Akon's $6bn smart city in Senegal delayed." BBC News, 21 Nov 2019. www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-50560764 4. "Why Akon City in Senegal is no more." Al Jazeera, 12 Jan 2023. www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/12/why-akon-city-in-senegal-is-no-more 5. "Akon City project in Senegal scrapped, replaced with tourism development." Reuters, 12 Jan 2023. www.reuters.com/world/africa/akon-city-project-senegal-scrapped-replaced-tourism-development-2023-01-12/ 6. "Akon City project in Senegal scrapped, replaced with tourism development." The New York Times, 12 Jan 2023. www.nytimes.com/2023/01/12/world/africa/akon-city-senegal-tourism.html 7. "Akon City project in Senegal scrapped, replaced with tourism development." CNN, 12 Jan 2023. www.cnn.com/2023/01/12/africa/akon-city-senegal-tourism-development-intl-hnk/index.html 8. "Akon City project in Senegal scrapped, replaced with tourism development." Financial Times, 12 Jan 2023. www.ft.com/content/1616520b-0b77-409c-b041-383604e55c72
- Celebrities, such as Akon, have ventured into the business realm, with the Akon City project initially aiming to combine finance, real-estate, and technology in a $6 billion futuristic smart city.
- Due to financial challenges and delays, the Akon City project has been shelved, and instead, a more modest tourism development project, consisting of hotels, apartments, and a promenade, is underway with private funding and Sapco's oversight.
- In the entertainment industry, the shift away from large-scale urban development has opened up opportunities for investing in crypto, with some wondering if this new tourism project might coordinate with digital currency solutions in the future.
