The $100 Billion Megacity That Became An Epic Failure Even Before Its Completion

Written by Bruno Teles

Published on 08/02/2025 at 12:44

$A megacidade de US$ 100 bilhões que virou um fracasso épico antes mesmo de ser concluída$

A história de Forest City serve como um daqueles avisos clássicos do tipo “não conte com o ovo antes da galinha botar”. Projetos megalomaníacos podem parecer incríveis no papel, mas, sem planejamento econômico sólido e uma base sustentável, podem acabar como esse: prédios bonitos, mas vazios.

37 pessoas reagiram a isso.

Designed for 700,000 Residents and Marketed as a Futuristic Paradise, the Megacity Forest City in Malaysia Today Is an Immense Void with Fewer Than 10,000 Inhabitants, Vacant Buildings, and an Uncertain Future.

Have you ever imagined a futuristic megacity, filled with modern buildings, paradise beaches, and water parks, that ultimately turned into practically a ghost town? Well, that’s the story of Forest City, a US$ 100 billion project that had every chance of being a success but ended up becoming one of the biggest real estate flops today.

The idea was to build an innovative megacity right there in Malaysia, close to Singapore. The goal? To create a true luxury refuge where families and business people could live in utmost comfort. But, in practice, what we see today are deserted streets, empty buildings, and very few residents.

What Went Wrong? A Series of Fatal Mistakes

The future of Forest City is still uncertain, but one thing has become clear: this US$ 100 billion megacity has gone down in history as one of the biggest examples of how a grand dream can turn into a huge nightmare.

Well, there’s a long list of reasons for this giant fall. But let’s get straight to the point: the main problem was that Forest City was designed for Chinese investors, and then came a huge bucket of cold water. The Chinese government tightened the belt and limited the transfer of money for investments abroad. The result? The source of buyers simply dried up.

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And it didn’t stop there. Malaysia went through political instabilities that further chased away investors. And as if that wasn’t enough, the COVID-19 pandemic came along, nailing another coffin in the project. Travel restrictions and the global economic crisis made the dream of the megacity increasingly distant from reality.

The Result? A Luxury Ghost Town

It was supposed to be a vibrant metropolis, full of life, but what we see today is an almost post-apocalyptic scene. Of the 700,000 residents who were supposed to occupy the city, fewer than 10,000 actually live there. And, let’s face it, this number is far from justifying the billions invested in the megacity project.

The streets are empty, luxurious buildings remain practically unoccupied, and local commerce can barely sustain itself. To make matters worse, there have been reports of environmental impact since the city was built on reclaimed land from the Johor Strait. This has compromised tropical mangroves and affected the region’s ecosystem, harming even local fishermen.

Is There Still Hope to Save the Megacity?

Despite everything, some attempts to reverse the disaster are being made. Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Malaysia proposed turning Forest City into a special financial zone, offering incentives to attract businesses and residents. The idea is to relocate government offices there and create a new economic hub in the megacity.

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Clovis Pereira

#124921

13/02/2025 19:26

Posso fazer um projeto que vai dar resultado desta cidade fantasma. É uma questão de projeto. Vai desenvolver o turismo local e criar um novo Polo turístico. Afinal o investimento já foi feito. Sou inventor e tenho facilidade pra soluções.

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Margarete Santos

#123895

10/02/2025 13:24

Nestas condições quanto custa um apartamento t4?

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Louis Mooren

#123734

09/02/2025 23:01

‘Empilhar’ pessoas não é uma solução sustentável para o futuro das metrópoles. Cidades têm que oferecer uma certa qualidade de vida aos moradores. Um transporte público que funciona, áreas comerciais ao redor, muito verde, lazer…. Empilhar em torres com mais de 25 andares com certeza não contribui…

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The $100 Billion Megacity That Became An Epic Failure Even Before Its Completion

Designed for 700,000 Residents and Marketed as a Futuristic Paradise, the Megacity Forest City in Malaysia Today Is an Immense Void with Fewer Than 10,000 Inhabitants, Vacant Buildings, and an Uncertain Future.

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The $100 Billion Megacity That Became An Epic Failure Even Before Its Completion

Designed for 700,000 Residents and Marketed as a Futuristic Paradise, the Megacity Forest City in Malaysia Today Is an Immense Void with Fewer Than 10,000 Inhabitants, Vacant Buildings, and an Uncertain Future.

What Went Wrong? A Series of Fatal Mistakes

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China has been trying for 13 years to build a railway in the Gobi Desert to reach Mongolia, and there are still 20 kilometers left that no one can finish due to a problem that seems impossible to solve.

Archaeologists find an intact tomb over 2,500 years old, with more than 100 preserved objects, weapons, jewelry, and human remains never touched.

Billions of barrels on the equatorial margin could lead Amapá to double its oil production in Brazil — the state wants to enter the route of companies in the Campos Basin, attract investments, and boost jobs and businesses in the oil and gas sector.

Without bricks, without cement, and without endless construction: the cardboard house that is assembled in modules and can be moved.

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