Morocco, Gims invests in Marrakech: investigation into his alliance with a Franco-Moroccan businessman in a luxury real estate project

The transformation of an artist into an investor

For several years now, Gims has no longer been content with simply filling stadiums. The Franco-Congolese artist, who lives in Marrakech with his family, now seems determined to make his mark in a completely different world: the world of real estate. Away from the public eye, he has launched one of the most ambitious real estate projects in the region, called "Sunset Village Private Residences," a complex of luxury residences located on the road to Amizmiz, at the edge of the Agafay desert.
Behind this poetic name lies a colossal investment estimated at nearly one billion dirhams , or approximately 90 million euros . The goal: to build 118 luxury villas on nearly thirteen hectares, complete with an artificial lagoon, private pools, and minimalist architecture inspired by California. A spectacular transformation for a singer accustomed to the limelight, who is now trying his hand at real estate development in the Red City.

A discreet but powerful partner

To carry out this monumental project, Gims did not venture out alone. According to several local sources, he partnered with a Franco-Moroccan businessman already firmly established in Marrakech, renowned in tourism and construction circles.
Little information has been released about this partner, whose name remains carefully kept out of the project's official communications. This discretion raises questions: who is truly behind Sunset Village? What exactly is the artist's role? Are they an investor, a co-promoter, or simply the public face of a much larger operation?
According to a source close to the matter, this collaboration has made it possible to open essential administrative and land doors in a sector where access to building land around Marrakech is particularly coveted.

Sunset Village, the dream of luxury "made in Marrakech"

At first glance, the project seems perfectly planned. Located ten minutes from the city center, the future complex will house villas ranging from 400 to 1,200 square meters, on plots of similar size. The entire development will be surrounded by a 3,000-square-meter artificial lagoon and landscaped green spaces designed to attract an international clientele: entrepreneurs, artists, expatriates, or wealthy Africans seeking a pied-à-terre in the ochre capital.
The architecture aims for a clean, minimalist aesthetic, blending European modernism with Berber influences, using natural materials. The first computer-generated images released online depict a setting reminiscent of Palm Springs residences, transposed to the foot of the Atlas Mountains.
But beyond the dream, some local observers point out that major real estate projects in Marrakech often encounter delays, land tensions or unforeseen cost overruns.

The grey areas of the financial arrangement

On paper, everything seems clear: an international artist, an architectural ambition, and a promise of local development. In reality, several areas of uncertainty remain.
The exact financial structure of the project has never been made public. No company clearly appears under the name "Sunset Village" in the publicly available records of the Moroccan Ministry of Commerce. Gims' role, described variously as "co-founder" or "brand ambassador," remains equally unclear.
The real estate experts interviewed mentioned complex partnerships between Moroccan holding companies and Dubai-based entities, facilitating capital transfers. This is a common practice in the luxury sector, but it increases the ambiguity surrounding the share of risk assumed by each party.

A symbol of Moroccan ambitions

Beyond the Gims case, this project illustrates a significant trend: Marrakech has become the laboratory for high-end real estate in Morocco. Land is becoming scarce, foreign investors are flocking in, and music and sports stars see it as a new stage to diversify their assets.
The kingdom, in the midst of preparations for the 2030 World Cup, is undertaking numerous major projects: a high-speed rail line to Casablanca, an airport expansion, and the renovation of tourist infrastructure. All of these developments are driving up land values ​​around the city.
By joining forces with a powerful local partner, Gims is following this logic: that of a country where prestige, visibility and luxury are becoming the new instruments of economic influence.

Behind these walls, a power grab?

While the villas of Sunset Village embody the success of an artist turned entrepreneur, they also raise questions about the governance of these hybrid ventures. In the upscale salons of the Palmeraie, some are already whispering that Gims' project is backed by significantly more capital than announced, linked to Franco-Moroccan business networks very active in the region.
The artist himself remains silent. On his social media, he prefers to talk about music and faith, leaving it to his partners to promote the future "artists' quarter" that he promises to build in the heart of the desert.

Marrakech, showcase and mirage

Whether he is a simple investor or the true mastermind behind the project, Gims symbolizes the attraction that Marrakech holds for African and European elites. A city of refuge, a showcase of Moroccan soft power, it now concentrates the greatest ambitions – and the greatest risks.
If Sunset Village does indeed come to fruition according to the announced plans, it will undoubtedly become one of the symbols of this transformation: that of a city where luxury, celebrity and finance intertwine in the same narrative.
But for now, the dream remains under construction. And in Marrakech, the most spectacular construction projects are often those that receive the least attention.