Dubailand

Dubailand was an entertainment complex planned to be built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which was owned by Tatweer (which belongs to Dubai Holding). When announced in 2003 it was one of the most ambitious leisure developments ever proposed anywhere in the world costing $64.3 billion,[1] but development has been severely impacted by global recession and Dubai's financial crisis. The development was put on hold in 2008, due to the financial crisis of 2007-2008, but resumed in mid-2013. Updates in 2013 showed that $55 billion had been raised towards the works.

Not to be confused with Dubai World or Dubai Land Department.

Dubailand logo

Some projects were cancelled, although Dubailand has since become the name of an entertainment district in Dubai where some of the planned projects for the Dubailand complex have opened. Other projects are being built and are planned to open in 2025.[2]

Development
The site office and showroom, Dubailand sales center, 7 March 2006

Dubailand was announced on 23 October 2003. It will have an area of 278 km2 (107 sq mi) and include 45 "mega projects" and 200 sub projects.[3] To date, there are currently 22 projects under construction.[4] Dubailand is divided into six zones (worlds): Attractions and Experience World, Sports and Outdoor World, Eco-Tourism World, Themed Leisure and Vacation World, Retail and Entertainment World, and Downtown.[5] It will be twice the size of Walt Disney World Resort, and will be the largest collection of theme parks in the world; however, no theme park in Dubailand will surpass Disney's Animal Kingdom (located at Walt Disney World Resort) as the world's largest theme park.

The Sahara Kingdom theme park, situated in the Attractions & Experience World, will cover 460,000 m2 (4,951,399 sq ft) and will combine high end virtual and physical theme park rides, attractions such as a state of the art gaming zone, IMAX theater, and integrated live and virtual entertainment shows, together with a retail zone, four hotels and residential accommodations. The theme of the development is traditional Arabian folklore and the tales of One Thousand and One Nights.

In 2006, planning permission was granted for the Great Dubai Wheel, a 185-metre tall (607 ft) giant Ferris wheel with 30 passenger capsules, to be built and managed by the Great Wheel Corporation. It was expected to open in 2009, at a cost of over AED 250 million.[6] In January 2012 it was announced that the Great Dubai Wheel would not be built.[7]

In 2008, most of the developments in Dubailand were put on hold and virtually all of the staff and workforce were fired due to global financial meltdown of the late 2007-2008.[8]

DreamWorks announced plans, on 19 January 2008 to build a theme park in Dubailand.[9]

On 4 March 2008, Tatweer announced a strategic alliance with Six Flags to build the 5,000,000 sq ft (460,000 m2) Six Flags Dubailand theme park.

On 1 May 2008, Tatweer announced the launch of Freej Dubailand. Freej Dubailand will boast hotels totalling 2,600 keys, and feature retail, food and beverage outlets, as well as a spectrum of entertainment attractions.[10]

On 2 May 2008, it was announced that the design and conceptual master plan for a Marvel Superheroes theme park had been finalized, the first of its kind. It will include 17 rides and attractions on a 4,500,000 sq ft (420,000 m2) development. It will also comprise nine retail outlets on an area of 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2). Over 40 food and beverage outlets, including carts merchandising light refreshments, will be developed over 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m2).[11][12]

On 6 May 2008, Tatweer announced a strategic alliance with Merlin Entertainments Group to build a Legoland park in Dubailand. The project will cost Dh912 million, occupy a total of 3,000,000 sq ft (278,709 m2), and will feature more than 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions geared towards families with children ages 2 to 12.[13]

At this point, Dubai Properties Group took over Dubailand from Tatweer. United States companies Six Flags and DreamWorks dropped out of their projects, losing interest in the site.

In September 2012, Dubai Properties Group announced the revival of the Mudon residential community project, estimating the completion of the project at around 18 months.[14]

Construction on the site resumed in early 2013, with the 72,000 square-meter Dubai Miracle Gardens opening at the beginning of March.[15] The adjacent 2,600 square-meter Dubai Butterfly Garden opened in 2015.[16]

In October 2016, Legoland Dubai was opened at Dubai Parks and Resorts, 35 km from Dubailand.[17] In December 2016, Motiongate Dubai, which incorporates DreamWorks' attractions, opened at Dubai Parks and Resorts.

Zones

This list includes both places that have been built and opened and proposed places that have not yet been built.

  • Attractions & Experience World (13.9 km2 or 5.4 sq mi)[3]
  • Retail and Entertainment World (4 km2 or 1.5 sq mi)
    • Dubai Outlet City (opened August 2007)
    • Black Market
    • Flea Market - farmer’s market [19]
    • World Trade Park - Dubai Bazaar
    • Auction World
    • Factory Outlets at Dubai Flea & Street Markets
    • Dubai Lifestyle City
  • Themed Leisure and Vacation World (29.7 km2 or 11.5 sq mi)[3]
    • Women's World (LEMNOS) at Al Barsha Mall
    • Destination Dubai VIP [20]
    • Desert Kingdom
    • Andalusian Resort and Spa - planned
  • Eco-Tourism World (130 km2 or 50 sq mi)[3]
    • Al Sahra Desert Resort and Equestrian Centre[21]
    • Sand Dune Hotel - planned
    • Al Kaheel - planned
    • Bio World - planned
    • Animal World - planned
  • Sports and Outdoor World (32.9 km2 or 12.7 sq mi)[3]
  • Downtown (1.8 km2 or 0.69 sq mi) [25]

Cancelled projects
  • Legoland Dubailand (moved to phase 1 of Dubai Parks & Resorts in Jebel Ali as Legoland Dubai, opened October 2016)
  • Six Flags Dubailand (moved to phase 2 of Dubai Parks & Resorts in Jebel Ali as Six Flags Dubai, but subsequently cancelled)
  • Pharaohs Theme Park
  • DreamWorks Studio Theme Park (now as a part of Motiongate Dubai in Dubai Parks & Resorts, opened October 2016)
  • Universal Studios Dubailand
  • F1-X Theme Park Dubai
  • The Tiger Woods Dubai (renamed as "The Trump World Golf Club, Dubai" as part of Akoya Oxygen, opened 2017)
  • Brownstown Dubailand and Rowleyville Dubailand
  • Freej Dubailand
  • Marvel Superheroes Theme Park (now as a part of IMG Worlds of Adventure, opened 15 August 2016)
  • Tourism world
  • Aviation World
  • Islamic culture and Science World
  • Giants World
  • Six Water Parks
  • Astrolab Resort
  • Great Dubai Wheel[7]

See also

References
  1. "Universal Studios Dubailand: A Case Study on the Rise and Fall of Dubai". Fast Company. 24 August 2009.
  2. Why Dubailand Failed $64 Billion Project, dubailocation.com, May 28, 2022
  3. "Dubailand". Property Developments. TEN Real Estate. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  4. Archived 27 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "FAQs about Dubailand" (PDF). Union Interfusion. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  6. "Great Dubai Wheel - Dubailand". Dubai-online.com. 3 October 2006. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  7. McGinley, Shane (5 January 2012). "Dubai's answer to London Eye scrapped, search on for stand-in". Arabian Business via Arabianbusiness.com. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  8. "Dubailand must be scaled down significantly: BMI". ConstructionWeekOnline.com. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  9. "DreamWorks to set up theme park in Dubai". ArabianBusiness.com. 20 January 2008. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  10. "Freej Dubailand". Dubaitourismreview.com. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  11. Fritz, Ben (23 September 2009). "Disney tells details of Marvel Entertainment acquisition in a regulatory filing". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  12. Barnard, Lucy (14 August 2013). "Dubai theme park featuring Marvel superheroes takes shap". TheNational.ae. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  13. "Dubai to get Legoland Park". GulfNews.com. 6 May 2008. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  14. John Bambridge (19 March 2013). "Shapoorji Pallonji wins revived Dubailand contract". ConstructionWeekOnline.com. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  15. "Gallery: Dubai Miracle Garden | CNN Travel". Travel.cnn.com. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  16. "Dubai Butterfly Garden: The Complete Guide". Headout. 30 December 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  17. Nick Webster (31 October 2016). "Legoland Dubai's opening day wows visitors". TheNational.ae. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  18. Trump World Golf Club, Dubai
  19. New retail mix - farmers' and flea markets, Dubai Outlet Mall's expansion will focus on 'social retailing', August 16, 2022 gulfnews.com
  20. Destination Dubai VIP, destinationdubaivip.com
  21. Al Sahra Desert Resort, arabiaweddings.com
  22. [https://www.poloclubdubai.com/ Plantation Equestrian and Polo Club, poloclubdubai.com
  23. Skiing in the desert, alfalaval.com'
  24. Dubai Snowdome, Website
  25. Downtown Dubai website
  26. Wadi Walk website

25°05′N 55°18′E

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