Despite rapid development of the Middle East’s urban landscape resulting from the influx of Arab Gulf money and investments, the Arab masses became increasingly disenchanted with the so-called macroeconomic success of the region that was often garnered from real estate growth and was non-inclusive. Using the argument of “built environments” and based on a case study of Jordan and primary data collected from Jordan using national surveys, focus groups, and personal interviews with officials and policy-makers, this paper will examine how this neoliberal urban change had shaped city residents’ perceptions that lead to enhanced feelings of social exclusion and frustration. It argues that urban developments have precipitated social exclusion and frustration and has been often overlooked in seeing this as a background to events leading to Arab revolts. With the influx of billions of dollars in direct foreign investments (FDI) coming from oil-rich Arab Gulf states with large capital surpluses, several Middle Eastern cities have become replete with high-rise towers and mega-development projects. Yet although Middle Eastern governments and elites publicize and aspire to attain this so called “modernization” of their countries, many of Arab people remained disconnected from these rapid attempts at urban development. In Jordan alone, there have been nearly 20 real estate developers from the Gulf who have initiated over 80 real estate projects throughout the small kingdom in the mid-2000's. Many of these projects are high-rise mixed-use towers that combine retail outlets, offices, and residential condominiums in addition to Western-inspired residential villas, grandiose tourist resorts and entertainment complexes. This ‘Dubaization’ of the Middle East has become a common policy aspiration or attempted replication throughout the Middle East. This article is in keeping with the view of scholars that have argued that the Arab revolts were an attempt to reclaim public places as a result of a profound sense of social exclusion and alienation felt by the Arab masses (Aly, 2011; Tripp, 2012). Despite common misperceptions that the Arab revolts did not affect Jordan, the revolutions sweeping the Middle East continue to impact this tiny kingdom. Demonstrations, political protests, boycotts, labour protests, strikes and other non-violent actions have been noted throughout the country (Adely, 2012; Tobin, 2012; Lynch, 2012).