Work has started on a huge multipurpose arena in Dubai which will be a biggest of its kind in the region and a touristic destination for global events and live shows.

 Spanning over half-a-million sq ft and with a seating capacity of 20,000, the Dubai Arena is set to become the ‘go to’ venue for international music concerts, sporting events such as hockey and NBA as well as other entertainment events, according to its developer Meraas.

It will be the only all-purpose indoor air-conditioned arena of its size in the entire region, said Meraas.

Located at City Walk, the venue will be at the heart of the emirate’s latest urban lifestyle destination, surrounded by hospitality, food and beverage (F&B), entertainment and shopping options.

Meraas has broken ground on the project, which is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2018.

The Emirati developer has signed up international venue management company AEG Ogden to manage the venue. It has also awarded the project management contract for the destination to DXB Entertainment, which will be responsible for overseeing the design and construction of Dubai Arena.

AEG Ogden is a subsidiary of the Anschutz Company that owns, controls or is affiliated with pre-eminent facilities such as The O2 in London, the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai and Qudos Bank Arena in Australia.

Abdulla Al Habbai, the group chairman of Meraas, said the Dubai Arena will provide a globally distinctive entertainment experience in line with the Dubai Plan 2021.