White Nightclub in Jeddah has been shut down by authorities before it could open its doors as authorities claimed it violated legal proceedings. Arabian Business reported in April that White would open in Saudi Arabia as a “high-end café”.
However, the Saudi General Authority for Entertainment said in a tweet that the event “had not been licensed” and was “a violation of legal proceedings”.
Its opening night main act Ne-Yo put out a statement on his Instagram expressing his disappointment over the closure.
He said: “Was excited to perform for you and en route to the venue I was told it had been shutdown. Guess we’ll try it again another time. Much love to my folks at White”
The opening of White Jeddah has been highly publicised in the last few months leading up to its launch date.
However, authorities said it had agreed to a different event and that its contractor had “taken advantage” of an extension of that license to commit “unacceptable violations”.
The nightclub had received mixed reviews from Saudis prior to its opening, with some condemning its dancefloor, and others welcoming its ‘halal bar’.
