Design details have been revealed for the $1.5bn Red Sea Astrarium in Aqaba, Jordan, a spectacular leisure destination that will create more than 4,000 jobs for the local community and become home to state-of-the-art entertainment attractions of global distinction.

The chief commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), Kamel Mahadin, has announced that groundbreaking for the first themed tourist destination in Jordan is ready.

At a ceremony, held under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Jordan, Abdullah Ensour, the layout for land development, entertainment designs and architectural and engineering plans were revealed.

Details of the 1m sq.m themed entertainment resort were brought to life in an unconventional manner via a purpose-built cyclorama with 360-degree virtual reality projection, designed to give delegates attending the World Economic Forum in Jordan a taste of the Red Sea Astrarium experience.

The showcase highlighted how the Red Sea Astrarium will become a diverse leisure destination and afford a multi-cultural bridge that connects past, present and future, with the aim of bringing together people of all cultures, backgrounds and age groups.  The resort will also host the American Museum of Natural History's Silk Road Exhibition throughout its Hijazi Gardens.

The ceremony demonstrated the homegrown and breakthrough technology behind two attractions that will catapult Jordan to the forefront for interactive experiences, including a global first for 4D inverted simulation that is different on every ride.