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The Associated Press

The president of Turkmenistan on Thursday officially inaugurated a vast, multibillion-dollar development. It was hailed as the country鈥檚 first 鈥渟mart city鈥� and named after the president鈥檚 father, who established a pervasive cult of personality when he was the longtime ruler.

The city designed for 70,000 is named Arkadag (Protector), a title used by former president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who led the country for 15 years before聽being succeeded last year by his son Serdar.

The opening ceremony, led by Serdar Berdymukhamedov, featured a theatrical procession of local workers singing patriotic songs in honor of the city鈥檚 namesake. The city includes a monument of his father鈥檚 favorite horse, which established the Guinness world record for running 10 meters on its hind legs.

Located about 18 miles south of the capital Ashgabat, the 鈥渟mart city鈥� is being presented as a prototype for other Turkmen cities because it features electric buses and automobiles, solar power and 鈥渟mart鈥� houses that residents can control via their smartphones. The first phase of Arkadag cost an estimated $3.3 billion.

Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Turkmenistan has been led by authoritarian regimes that allow no significant opposition. There is sharply limited access to the country from abroad. Both the elder Berdymukhamedov and his predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov developed cults of personality that included elaborate tributes and monuments.

The isolated country has also struggled to diversify its economy, which is overwhelmingly dependent on its vast natural gas reserves.