jedimaster1227 Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 (edited) http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-developer-set-restart-dubailand-project-447931.html Saudi Arabia-based developer Al Hokair Group is planning to resume construction on its stalled Al Sahara Kingdom hotel and entertainment project in Dubailand in 2013, its deputy CEO has said. The Al Sahara Kingdom has been master-planned over a 50 million sq ft area in Dubailand, the delayed real estate development backed by Dubai Properties Group (DPG). The project is set to include two four-star hotels – to be run by Al Hokair-owned MENA Hotels & Resorts, an indoor theme park, restaurants, residential areas and a retail souk. “This is on hold now, but we will try to [restart construction] of the hotels and theme park in 2013, combined with the apartments and villas. This is our plan,” said Sami AM Al-Hokair in comments published by Hotelier Middle East. When asked when the firm expected the project to be completed, Al-Hokair said construction would take two years. "[We’re] starting with the theme park, hotels and with the serviced apartments, and the retail – it’s coming phase by phase, but phase one [will open in] 2014," he said. Al-Hokair added that the developer’s plan to resume the project was in response to increased demand in line with growing tourist numbers to the emirate. “There is a lot of demand. We expect more tourism is coming to Dubai. I think we’re expecting 15 million visitors to Dubai by 2015,” he said. Dubailand was one of the Gulf emirate’s most ambitious developments, announced at the height of the real estate bubble. The resort was originally slated to be twice the size of Walt Disney World, and was reportedly worth AED335bn at its peak. It was placed on hold after the financial crisis triggered the collapse of Dubai’s real estate market in late-2008. In October, DPG said the firm was in talks to renegotiate four projects in the resort, with plans to unveil details of a sustainable city by end-2012. Alongside details of a planned sustainable city within the resort, three further projects funded by Middle East investors will be confirmed in 2012, CEO Khalid Al Malik said. He added: “We are currently in talks with three other investors. They [include] a couple of investors from the region who would like to start projects in Dubailand. “We are in serious negotiations with them, hopefully next year [in 2012, we can expect announcements], in the first and second quarter.” Edited November 24, 2012 by SharkTums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gisco Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Hopefully they will get everything sorted and the project gets restarted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteornotes Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 I agree. I'd love to see this and some of the other stalled projects get built. dt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 If there is one thing we noticed from our visit to Dubai from 2010 to 2012, is that the area does seem to be MUCH busier. Who says Ferrari World is dead? Check out these photos... Ticket booth queues are PACKED! Restaurants at the park seeing a decent crowd of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gisco Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 The problem with Ferrari Worlds is that it is so big. You could put 5,000 people in there and it would look vacant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willh51 Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 That is good to see. I was afraid Ferrari World was going to Hard Rock Park itself into the ground! Doesn't the undeveloped park have a couple coasters in storage? A Premier drift coaster, maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midgetman82 Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 U.A.E. seems to be the place for the world's best-to-be amusement (and water) parks to appear. My dad fly's for United Airlines and he tells me that flights to places like Dubai are sometimes full, which is great to hear. I visited Dubai in 2009 and absolutely loved it! I hope something does rise from the sand for Dubailand soon. I'd love to travel back and try one or two of them if possible someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disneyfan1313 Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 I am cautiously optimistic! I have a feeling that the "bubble" was a bit of a wake up call to most of these developers and we will see a bit more of a conservative building strategy going forward. I can't wait to see what appears in this area in 5-10 years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubaidave Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 The last paragraph of thus article is rather interesting. DUBAI // A new mega-development, possibly the largest in the country’s history, was announced today by the Ruler of Dubai. Related ■ As property booms, a bust is remembered ■ Gulf Finance House returns to black Mohammed Bin Rashid City will encompass sprawling parkland, the largest shopping mall in the world, and will include more than 100 hotels, golf courses, a hub for the arts and centres to develop small businesses. The announcement was made by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and comes amid a general resurgence in the emirate’s economy. “The current facilities available in Dubai need to be scaled up in line with the future ambitions for the city,” said Sheikh Mohammed. The development will be located between Sheikh Zayed Road, Emirates Road and Al Khail Road. It will include the Mohammed bin Rashid Gardens project, which was first announced in 2008. The original masterplan suggested the gardens would be 800 million square feet, and would cost $60 billion (Dh220bln) to construct. It is not clear whether the original plan is being utilised, or a new revised plan would be adopted. The release said the park would be 30 per cent larger than Hyde Park in London, which is 15.2 million square feet. The project will also include the Mall of the World. It is anticipated the mall will have the capacity to handle 80 million visitors a year. The mall will be partly developed by Universal Studios. Originally, it was planned that a Universal Studios theme park would be situated in the planned mega theme park, Dubailand. The project has been on hold and it is not clear whether the original plans will now be incorporated within the mall. mcroucher@thenational.ae Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/dubai-ruler-announces-huge-development-with-a-park-bigger-than-hyde-park#ixzz2D99aUP2T Follow us: @TheNationalUAE on Twitter | thenational.ae on Facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 ^Well, the Universal coming back rumor has been going strong for some time now. I could see a section of the mall being a CityWalk type venue which leads to a Studios Park. Keep us updated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubaidave Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 And it's worth noting that the lagoon was dug and is still at the original site so they would be crazy but to use that site. We will just have to wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gisco Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 It would be nice to see this go but I have to wonder if it will attract enough people. Can they get enough tourists to support what they are trying to do? The local population can only do so much. Doesn't seem to me that a mall with a theme park will make people want to visit the UAE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biker7766 Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Not sure if you guys have seen these videos, but this is hilarious with the coaster editing! This is part 1, you can find part 2 and 3 on the same channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travanx Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 My fiance wasn't familiar with Dubai and we had a chance to make a quick stopover for a couple days on a recent trip. After being there for about 48 hours, she wanted to come back for 10 days+ within 6 months. I was bummed we didn't try to stay another day or so which we attempted to do but changing flights would be expensive. Even though a park like this may not be the focus of a trip out there, I do know if we had a couple more days that we would have gone to Ferrari World and some of the other theme parks. Dubai was pretty busy back in July. And it looks like some of these crazy projects are going to slowly start up again from the looks of overall construction that was happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I'll believe it when it is actually open and TPR is visiting on a trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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