Local developer Meraas has invited contractors to express interest in working on its theme park project in Dubai.

Known as the Jebel Ali Themed Entertainment Development, the project was launched by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum in November last year as part of a AED10bn ($2.72bn) plan to develop five separate theme parks in the Jebel Ali area to help promote tourism in the emirate. Dubai’s tourism sector contributed 31 per cent of the emirate’s total gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011.

The theme parks include: Dubai Adventure Studios, a water and marine life park, a Bollywood park, a children’s theme park and a night safari park. On launch, the first component of the development of this destination is expected to be completed by 2014.

Samsung C&T is acting as the client representative and programme manager on behalf of Meraas.

The South Korean contractor had previously secured work with Meraas in 2008, when it won the contract to build three towers on the $95bn Jumeira Gardens City development. The contract was later terminated as Dubai’s property market collapsed in late 2008 and early 2009.

Another South Korean contractor is working on another new Dubai project for Meraas.

In February, Meraas released details of its AED6bn ($1.6bn) Bluewaters island scheme off the coast of the Dubai Marina/Jumeirah Beach Residences area. It will include the AED1bn Dubai Eye, which will be The World’s largest ferris wheel, together with other retail, residential, hospitality and entertainment zones.

South Korea’s Hyundai Contracting together with Netherlands-based Starneth Engineering were appointed to build the 210-metre-tall Dubai Eye.

Dubai is planning to build Mohammed bin Rashid City that will also support tourism in Dubai. The masterplan for the project includes a leisure precinct able to accomodate 35 million visitors a year and will contain a Universal Studios theme park together with more than 100 hotels. The city will also contain the Mall of the World, which will be the largest shopping mall in the world and will have a capacity to handle 80 million visitors a year.

Located between Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (formerly Emirates Road), Al-Khail Road and Sheikh Zayed Road, the scheme will be developed by local Dubai Holding and Emaar Properties.

Dubai has wanted to develop theme parks for more than a decade. In 1998 it was planning to develop a major theme park along the shores of the Creek at what is now Dubai Festival City. That project, known as Magic World, was later abandoned and replaced by an even more ambitious scheme inland of Mohammed bin Zayed Road known as Dubailand. After a slow start, that project stalled in 2008.