Dubai unveils $5,000 million Dubailand project

24 October 2003
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum unveiled on 21 October a huge tourism project, as part of the emirate's strategic development plan to attract over 15 million tourists by 2010.

To be called Dubailand, the project is estimated to be worth over AED 18,000 million ($4,905 million), excluding the cost of the infrastructure. It will be built over a 2,000 million-square-feet site adjacent to Nad al-Sheba off the Emirates road. The government will invest over AED 2,600 million ($708 million), while the remaining amount will be sought from the private sector.

Dubailand calls for the construction of six major divisions, covering 45 main and 200 sub-projects. The largest division will be the eco-tourism world, which will be built over 806 million square feet. Entailing an investment of AED 4,000 million ($1,090 million), it will cover the construction of a dinosaur world, a science and history museum, a world of sound and light complex and an animal world. The other divisions include: adventure world, to be built over 145 million square feet and including the Pharaohs world, aqua world, snow world, space and science world, a space hotel and a Middle Ages hotel; sports world to be built over 206 million square feet and including playgrounds, an equestrian centre and related works; themes and leisure vacation world; shopping world; and family city world.

Dubailand, which is proposed to be built by the end of 2006, will be managed by Dubai Development & Investment Authority.

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