Construction on The Line, the highly publicized linear city project within Saudi Arabia's NEOM development, was significantly scaled back and ultimately suspended following comprehensive strategic reviews led by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund. Planners encountered insurmountable challenges regarding basic physics, engineering feasibility, and escalating financial projections that threatened to exceed trillions of dollars. Facing tight national liquidity, shifting macroeconomic priorities, and lower global oil prices, the government redirected capital resources toward more pragmatic infrastructure, data centers, and artificial intelligence initiatives.