In order to attract the projected 10 million plus tourists from all over the world, developers have dreamed up building a gigantic theme park right in the desert – Dubailand.
Dubailand will eventually cover three billion square feet of land and contain five amazing worlds. Attraction World will cost AED 9 billion and will offer theme parks, water parks and other family attractions. Highlight will include Dubai Sunny Mountain Ski Dome – a gigantic indoor snow park. Falcon City of Wonders will include replicas of five wonders of the world plus the “Eiffel Tower” and the “Pyramids”. Rumours say that Dubai is attempting to use Sports and Outdoor World to launch a bid for the Olympics in 2020. Eco-tourism World will boost an interactive science museum, safari park and desert vegetation.p>
Tropical Village will contain a rainforest with different and unique species and trees, sandy beaches, lagoons and waterfalls. Leisure & Vacation World will host spas and holistic treatments including a Thai Express Resort, the Indian Theme Resort and the Nubian Valley. Last but not least, Retail & Entertainment World features the Restless Planet – a Jurassic Park alike attraction with animated dinosaur replicas realistically moving about. With the Mall of Arabia as the centrepiece of City of Arabia (planning to be the largest mall in the world) – and numerous 4 and 5 star hotels, the entertainment options seem endless. Supposedly, original ülans are scaled up by 50 percent after receiving tremendous positive reaction from the private sector. The Great Dubai Wheel is the Emirates answer to the London Eye – Dubai Wheel will be the world’s largest observation wheel.
The Dubailand project is expected to cost approximately AED 74 billion in total, raised mainly through international investor groups. It will be twice the size of Walt Disney World Resort.
Island in the sea
Currently three Palm Islands under construction, Nakheel’s prestigious offshore projects literally jump-started the monstrous scale of Dubai´s ambition. Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira, the three waterfront projects once unimaginable, will soon have many books written about them. Furthermore, as if three man-made islands were not enough, additional projects such as the World and the Waterfront have recently been launched. Only time will tell if these ecologically and structurally challenging projects will live up to their promises of luxury, environmentally friendly and exclusive lifestyle.
The smallest of the Palms (Jumeirah) will add almost 80 km to Dubai’s coastline and will house 32 hotels, 2,500 apartments and 1,500 beachside villas accommodating 70,000 residents.
Further down the coast, Palm Jebel Ali (50 percent bigger than the Palm Jumeirah) will include six marinas, a sea village, water parks and homes built on stilts (Waterhomes) between the fonds and the crescent.
Meanwhile, some 4 km from the coast of Dubai, 90 percent of the reclamation work for the World has been completed on the 300 man-made islands. Those who wish to have their own island should command a budget between US $10 and 45 million and should have a speed-boat or a helicopter to reach mainland.
The Waterfront, is the most recent masterpiece stretching around the Palm Jebel Ali. This huge master planned retail, commercial and residential project will be bigger than Manhattan. The developer, Nakheel, claims that up to 750,000 people will live and work on the mixed-use site.