With the aim to become regions main business and leisure hub, Dubai, a member of the seven-strong United Arab Emirates has taken up new challenge of larger-than-life projects in line.
Dubai has already primed as a holiday destination and aims to double the number of tourists to 15 million by 2015, so it is fast executing plans to build a host of new hotels, golf courses, malls and leisure facilities.
Initially it was planned that Dubailand billed as the world’s most ambitious tourism, leisure and entertainment project will cover an area of two billion square feet but is now expected to be a sprawling three billion square feet. It is said that this would make Dubailand larger than the entire city of Orlando, Florida. The area is anticipated to be completed by 2010 and three million visitors a year are expected to Dubailand.
Western oriented Dubai already boasts itself for the sail-shaped Burj Al-Arab hotel and building three palm-tree shaped islands off the coast.
Various projects being undertaken in Dubai:
•A 100-million-dollar purchase of the Queen Elizabeth 2, one of the world’s most majestic cruise liners has been announced. There are plans to turn it into a luxury floating hotel berthed at one of the palm islands.
•It is said that within three years of time the vast barren surroundings will be awash with more golf courses, theme parks, mega-malls and residential towers.
•The entire 24-project venture is estimated to cost 235 billion dirhams (64 billion dollars, 48 billion euros), 60 percent of it is expected to come from private investors.
•Mammoth Bawadi is another project being undertaken in Dubai. The project was announced in 2006 2006 as the world’s largest hospitality and leisure development consisting of more than 50 themed hotels with 60,000 rooms, almost double the number currently available in Dubai.
•AsiaAsia is one of the hotels that is tipped to be the world’s largest with 6,500 rooms and will be developed by Tatweer, a part of Dubai Holding.
•Dubai also plans to house a Great Wheel, whose size will rival that of the London Eye observation wheel. In March, it was announced that there will be world’s largest transparent snow dome and a Universal Studio theme park in Dubai land.
Universal Studio theme park will be part of a 2.2-billion-dollar Universal City Dubai, comprising 4,000 hotel rooms and some 100 restaurants.
•By September 2009, a 25-million-square-foot golf course and community featuring palaces and mansions will be made along with Tiger Woods Dubai. Universal City will be the only Dubailand projects funded by Tatweer.
•There will be replicas of the Pyramids, the Eiffel Tower and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in the Falcon City of Wonders.
•Aqua Dunya is also expected to be one of the world’s largest water parks.
•There are several stadiums being constructed in Dubailand’s Sports City and around Dubai Autodrome, a comprehensive Motor City is also taking shape.
•Grandiose shopping malls are also well in the making in Dubai.
•A 2.7-billion-dollar deal with Al-Ghurair Investment to develop a four-million-square-foot mall in the Bawadi retail zone was announced in May.
•The Mall of Arabia is expected to open its first phase in early 2009 and aims to extend to become the world’s largest at 10 million square feet.
Source: Yahoo!
