Construction on the Dh6 billion ($1.63 billion) Dubai Festival City, a multi-phase project, will start soon and the first phase of development is expected to be completed in 2004.
The UAE project will transform the 4 km site along the creek waterfront in Al Garhoud into a world class one-stop destination for dining, shopping, family entertainment and conventions, said a report in Khaleej Times.
Abdullah Al Futtaim Group is to execute work on the project which is expected to be the biggest tourism and commercial project in the Middle East.
"The Dubai Festival City ... will be built in phases and completion of the full project could take 20 years," said Jon Jerde, chairman of the California-based Jerde Partnership International Inc which designed the project. "Water is a defining element carried through the development in fountains, waterfalls, canals, and a waterfront promenade.''
An essential component of the Festival City will be a Global Village contained in a garden setting with pavilions and international food and cultural events. Rides will be located in the gardens and will remain open throughout the year. A marina will be built along a waterfront promenade, ensuring easy access by boat and water taxis to the shops and restaurants.
The colours of buildings at the Festival City will reflect the colours of the desert and the sunset. A long, winding canal will link different areas of the Festival City, which will include up to 80 restaurants, approximately half of them located on the waterfront promenade, the report said.
The suq, with an expansive open-air ambience and state-of-the-art climate control, will be on two levels, with parking space for 15,000 vehicles.
A boulevard will sweep between the suq and the canal, with wide expanses of greenery and dynamic fountains creating the restful atmosphere of a green and peaceful oasis, it said.
The project incorporates nearly an area of 10,000 sq m for cinemas, with another 10,000 sq m for cultural activities. Approximately 30,000 sq m have been planned for additional family entertainment venues. Live performances will be staged at an amphitheatre designed to accommodate 8,000 people.
The Festival City will also have about 220,000 sq m to house a "family-priced" hotel, serviced apartments, a luxury hotel and a conventional hotel.
A major attraction will be a Promontory Tower, a 55-storey building housing a hotel and offices. There will be approximately 300,000 sq m of high-quality integrated residential units with offices located throughout the development.
