Chris Hables Gray, an author and consultant who researched science fiction design aesthetics for The Line in 2021, told Business Insider that the futuristic city was a "resort for 0.01% of the population." He emphasized that although Saudi Arabia has "large amounts of money to spend, there is no chance that it is a real city." This suggests that despite the grand ambitions, the project may ultimately serve a very small, wealthy demographic instead of functioning as a genuine urban environment.
Gray stated that Neom's promotional videos of The Line were meant to be "seductive" and showed "amazingly enticing visions of a future that will never be." Such marketing implies a disconnect between the reality of the project and the aspirational imagery presented, potentially misleading investors and the general public about feasible outcomes.
According to Gray, the project's aim is clearly aimed at being a "resort for really rich people". He argues that, unlike traditional cities which fulfill a range of cultural and economic roles, this planned city fails to serve any of those fundamental functions, questioning its viability as a real urban center.
Highlighting the geographic isolation, Gray mentioned that The Line's location is "off in the middle of nowhere," which may be suitable for a resort but impractical for a city that needs to integrate with existing communities, particularly the local Indigenous culture.
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