Dubailand
Dubailand is an entertainment complex being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which is 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, but development has been severely impacted by global recession and Dubai's financial crisis. The development was put on hold in 2008 but resumed in mid-2013. Updates in 2013 show that $55 billion has been raised towards the works. Current estimates predict that Dubailand will open before 2020.
Dubailand was announced on October 23, 2003. It will have an area of 278 km2 (107 sq mi) and include 45 "mega projects" and 200 sub projects. To date, there are currently 22 projects under construction. 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. 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. In January 2012 it was announced that the Great Dubai Wheel would not be built.
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