Mayor Emaar Properties, Dubai-based property developer, has unveiled a special package for Ramadan apartments at competitive prices with flexible purchasing options and unique benefits, including exemption up to one year of maintenance fees to complete the residential units in evolution prestigious Downtown Burj Dubai.

The initiative is in sales for homes in the Old Town, The Old Town Island, Burj View, South Ridge, and residences, all established communities with a range of lifestyle amenities.

Ahmad Al Matrooshi, MD – UAE, Emaar Properties, said, “Emaar’s new initiatives for the holy month of Ramadan to September are specially adapted to offer several advantages for customers. The offers are part of our concerted efforts support our customers and ensure flexible and attractive options when making a purchase decision. Customers can also meet our mortgage brokers in the Emaar Sales Center Plaza free consulting.

Potential customers can also benefit from easy mortgages up to Dh2.5 million in a wide range of studies to 3 bedroom apartments in one of the most sought after lifestyle destination in Dubai. Emaar Properties has also announced a special attraction for rent to own customers who are turning to property in late September. The developer has submitted the rent to own scheme last year, offering customers the opportunity to rent a house for a year and apply their income to purchase the home.

An exciting array of theme park adventures awaits families at The Dubai Mall. The largest-ever SEGA Republic in the Middle East region will open at the mall shortly. A high-adrenaline ride, adventure and gaming zone, SEGA Republic is developed in association with Japan-based SEGA Corporation, one of the global leaders in hi-tech entertainment.

Finishing work on SEGA Republic, the newest leisure attraction at the mall, is currently progressing for opening this summer, for which The Dubai Mall has set apart 76,000 sq ft across two levels. An indoor roller-coaster, thrilling rides and motion simulators, many of which are bespoke attractions for Dubai, are the highlight of SEGA Republic, which will appeal to all members of the family.

Mr Nasser Rafi, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said: “As the world’s largest family shopping and entertainment destination, The Dubai Mall is continuously adding to its retail and leisure portfolio. The opening of SEGA Republic, the largest indoor theme park of its kind in the Middle East region, will complement the successful leisure attractions of the mall such as Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Dubai Ice Rink and The Waterfall.”

He added: “In the coming months, even as more retail outlets open, the mall will unveil newer leisure concepts such as KidZania®, a unique edu-tainment concept for children and Reel Cinemas, the 22-screen cineplex. Leisure components are a strong draw for families and, in turn, further support retail sales.”

SEGA Republic will feature numerous key attractions including SPIN GEAR, HALFPIPE CANYON, SONIC HOPPER, INITIAL D4 LIMITED, STORM-G and OUTRUN2 SP. With most of the major attractions being based on skill levels, visitors are guaranteed that no two rides are ever the same, providing a unique experience every time. While the bespoke roller-coaster, SPIN GEAR, is set to become a rage among families, HALFPIPE CANYON, a snow/skateboarding simulator that has gained a phenomenal following at SEGA’s Joypolis theme park in Japan, is also keenly awaited by theme park enthusiasts in the region. “Drifting” fans can now experience the thrill of INITIAL D4 LIMITED and SONIC HOPPER, the 9-metre drop tower that provides a breath-taking ride. Visitors can also enjoy up to 250 amusement games, a climbing wall and a host of food and beverage options at SEGA Republic.

Mr Suresh Bhatia, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Retail LLC, explained: “Most of the attractions in SEGA Republic will be a first-time experience for visitors to the mall and in the region. The selection of rides, roller-coaster, motion ride simulators and games in this all-season indoor theme park, have been made to meet the demands of the fun-loving young population of the region as well as families. Safety aspects are given the highest priority, and SEGA Republic will have a dedicated team of professionals on hand to assist visitors.”

He added: “A judicious leisure mix is one of the biggest attractions of shopping malls today. The Dubai Mall is setting the trend in the region and globally too, with unprecedented leisure concepts which have all been well-received. The indoor environment of SEGA Republic has also been specially developed for the varying rides, keeping the convenience of visitors in mind.”

KidZania®, another leisure concept in the mall to open this year, is a novel concept that introduces children to a scaled-down version of a city in which they can experience the ultimate in role-playing. They can choose from over 70 preferred ‘roles’ and be provided with costumes and other accessories for the complete real-life like experience. Reel Cinemas, the 22-screen cineplex due to open this summer, the largest in the city, will house up to 2,800 seats. Over 900 retailers have already opened at The Dubai Mall and the remaining 300 will open in the next three months. Several of these are flagship stores or mark the Middle East launch of global brands.

About The Dubai Mall:
The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination spread over a total area of 12 million sq ft. With a total internal floor area of 5.9 million sq ft, the mall has 3.77 million sq ft of gross leasable space which hosts 1,200 retail stores including over 160 food and beverage outlets in food courts that have a capacity to seat 3,000.
The Dubai Mall offers an unparalleled retail mix combined with world-class dining, entertainment and leisure attractions. The leisure attractions include The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, which features the largest acrylic viewing panel in the world and a walk-through tunnel. The Olympic-sized Dubai Ice-Rink is another key leisure attraction and a destination for skating enthusiasts.
Fashion Avenue, a 440,000 sq ft fashion precinct dedicated to haute couture, positions the mall as the fashion capital of the region; while the Gold Souk is a sprawling gold and jewellery retail showcase with over 200 stores.
The strong family entertainment theme includes KidZania®, an innovative children’s ‘edu-tainment’ concept that is being introduced to the region for the first time; SEGA Republic, a 76,000 sq ft high adrenaline indoor theme park; The Grove, an indoor-outdoor streetscape with fully retractable roof, and the 22-screen Reel Cinemas with a total capacity of 2,800 seats.
For the convenience of visitors, the mall offers over 14,000 car parking spaces.

About Emaar Malls Group LLC:
Emaar Malls Group LLC, is the retail and shopping mall subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC. Emaar has announced investments in shopping malls of over US$4 billion (AED 15 billion) with 10 million sq ft of retail property in operation or under development in the emerging markets of the Middle East, North Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and South Asia and is on target to become one of the largest developers of shopping malls in the world. At the forefront of these developments is the flagship The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest mall, in the heart of the Downtown Burj Dubai.
Emaar Malls Group also operates two other malls in Dubai; Souk Al Bahar, an Arabesque shopping and entertainment development on The Old Town Island, and Dubai Marina Mall, a lifestyle shopping mall for residents of the Dubai Marina community. Internationally, Emaar Malls Group is planning or developing shopping centres in Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia and continues to drive the company’s expansion strategy on a global scale.

About Emaar Retail:
Emaar Retail is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emaar Malls Group LLC and is the vehicle for all retail operations. Emaar Retail is developing a portfolio of brands in key growth markets and is strategically building new alliances, joint ventures, franchises and licenses for all mall developments under the Emaar Malls Group umbrella.

Emaar Retail also manages the business operations for The Dubai Mall’s leisure and entertainment brands including KidZania®, SEGA Republic, the Olympic-sized ‘Dubai Ice Rink’ and Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. Emaar Retail has also entered into a joint-venture with Cathay Organisation Holdings Ltd in Singapore, to form Reel Entertainment to develop cinemas across the region including the flagship 22-screen cineplex at The Dubai Mall.
Emaar Retail was established to drive Emaar Malls Group’s developments in key emerging markets across the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Sub-Continent through creating the right retail mix for the various markets.

It is 4 times as many as the new London Westfield centre. Twice delayed, Dubai Mall opened on November 4, 2008, with about 600 retailers, marking the world’s largest-ever mall opening in retail history. However it is not the largest in gross leaseable space, and is surpassed in that category by several malls including the South China Mall, Golden Resources Mall, SM City North Edsa, and SM Mall of Asia.

Sprawling over 12 million sq ft (equivalent in size to more than 50 soccer pitches), the Dubai Mall has a total internal floor area of 5.9 million square feet and leaseable space of 3.77 million square feet, about same as West Edmonton Mall.

Some More Cool Collection Of Dubai Creek Pictures (Click on the Picture To Enlarge)

FEATURES OF DUBAI MALL

1 – Dubai Aquarium

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A key centerpiece is Dubai Aquarium, one of the of the largest tanks in the world at 51m x 20m x 11m and featuring the world’s largest viewing panel at 32.8m wide and 8.3m high. Over time, Dubai Aquarium will have more than 33,000 living animals, representing more than 85 species including over 400 sharks and rays combined. Dubai Aquarium’s 270-degree glass walkthrough tunnel makes for incredible close-encounter experiences

2 – Ice Rink

Glide into a magical winter wonderland at Dubai Ice Rink. With its larger than life Olympic-size proportions, whether you want to learn skating, perfect your technique, play ice hockey, socialise with friends or just have a great time, this spectacular venue is the coolest place to hang out any time of the year.
Prices:
* Skate hire and 2 hour session – AED 50

3 – KidZania

Imagine a city made for children and run by them. A place where they fly the aeroplanes, they drive the buses and they work in the restaurants. Imagine a world where children are free to live out their dreams – playing adult roles in a world created just for them, in meticulous detail.

4 – Reel Cinemas

Redefine the cinematic experience with sensory overload at The Dubai Mall’s massive Reel Cinemas complex. The largest in Dubai with 22 screens, the ‘multiplex’ will feature the latest International blockbusters to local indie hits. Grab some friends, load up on popcorn and prepare to be entertained.

5 – Sega Republic

Enter a nation addicted to adrenalin. The region’s first SEGA indoor theme park is a mind-altering, visually-stimulating, adrenalin-pumping attraction. SEGA Republic is where you create your own rules. Rebel against the senses and go into overdrive. Get addicted. Suppose to be opened in mid 2009.

VIDEOS

Dubai Mall

Opening of Dubai Aquarium

Dubai Mall – A Tour

Dubai-based Meraas Development, which has unveiled a $95bn (£63.8bn) property project since being formed just two months ago, is the latest construction firm to announce that it is now reconsidering its plans in light of the economic slump.

Another Project, Trump Tower, a £535m scheme planned for one of Dubai’s palm-shaped islands, is another scheme to have been suspended in recent weeks.

Kashani-Akhavan, who has 27 years experience in property investment said, “It is a great time to invest,” he remarked, adding that in order to become a successful property investor the best tactic is to “buy low when everybody else is selling”.

He also stated that the emirate’s “capable and committed leadership” is well-positioned to ensure a successful future for Dubai, noting that it has already helped turn the city into one of the “most important in the world”. “That should give investors every confidence in Dubai’s future prosperity”, He added.

Peter Cooper, author of the book Opportunity Dubai, making a fortune in the Middle East, said there is a much better argument to be made for buying at depressed prices In Dubai than in the UK or even the US.

‘Real estate price falls may already be fully priced into the market in the United Arab Emirates, while prices are still heading down in the UK. It is a feature of emerging markets that price downturns are swift,’ he explained.

‘This is a tough one. Oil prices could fall further in 2009 and the UAE economy lags oil price falls by six months or so. Could a fall in the US dollar attract back the UK and European buyers who have fled since the summer?’ said Cooper.

But he concluded that the UAE has to be a good choice for the future.

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According to a technical expert, Sonjib Banerjee, technical director of Duval Messien, a French multinational specialized in Global Protection services, With more and more tall structures coming up in Dubai, the chances of a lightning strike is increasing.

Mr.Sonjib Banerjee said it is a myth that Dubai and the Gulf area are not vulnerable to lightning strikes. He referred to a lightning strike near Burj Dubai on November 26 and said it confirms the need for adequate lightning protection measures for all tall structures.

“The thunderstorm days in the UAE are about 10 per year. This means that, one lightning strike may happen per square kilometer per year in worst conditions, with a minimum of one lightning strike per 7 square kilometer per year,” he said.

“A 100-meter-high building of 30 floors is five times more at risk in comparison to 50-meter-high building of 15 floors. This risk factor goes up, as the height of the building goes up,” he said.

Banerjee said the probability of a lightning strike is calculated based on utility, type of construction and location of the structure.

Banerjee also said proper earthing is the only “safety valve” in the event of any electrical fault or lightning strike. The key challenge of the industry is to disseminate the latest knowledge in earthing science and to incorporate the latest technology in the country’s safety regulations, he said.

“A survey reveals that 70 per cent of the residents in the UAE are at risk of being involved in electrical fires. Use of proper electrical accessories like three-pin plugs and sockets and branded circuit breakers are some precautionary measures against electrical fire hazards,” he said.

“We need to have safety measures inbuilt in the system to avert it. Inflammable materials catch fire faster, but they are part of our life at home or work. The consequential damages in both cases are huge,” he said.

Standards of electrical safety of structures are defined in various international codes. Banerjee said the structures in Dubai need to follow these codes without compromise. The implication of such compromise may directly affect the safety of lives and assets. It also involves understanding the effect of the structures on the environment.

“In the entire concept of electrical safety system, buildings in Dubai like all parts of the world, must adhere to proven standards. Currently we believe there may be a need to re-evaluate some areas of concern, based on latest available technology and proven science,” he said.

There was no evidence of the global financial crisis as tycoons and celebrities streamed into Dubai last night for the world’s most expensive private party.

Having spent £1 billion, the owners of the Atlantis hotel, which they hope will become the new symbol of excess in a region already replete with towering statements of wealth, splashed out £13.5(approx. $20million) million on its opening.


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In the lobby of the Atlantis about 2,000 guests sipped Dom Pérignon. Outside, A-list celebrities from Robert De Niro to Lindsay Lohan walked the red carpet. After the pop singer Kylie Minogue performed on stage the sky lit up with the world’s largest fireworks display, seven times greater than this year’s Olympic Games opening ceremony in Beijing and extravagant enough to be seen from outer space.

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The price tag for the party even embarrassed Sol Kerzner, the chairman and chief executive officer of Kerzner International, who built the resort on the man-made Palm Island in partnership with Nakheel, a state-owned developer. “If I had to do it all over again, I might do it recognising the fact that we’re living through a bit of a tough economic environment,” Kerzner, a South African billionaire, told media.

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The timing for Kerzner’s imposing hotel is not ideal. The emirate is groaning under heavy debt and banks have tightened lending, delaying new developments. Gulf stock markets have sunk to historic lows and analysts are radically scaling back economic forecasts for the region.

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Since it opened its doors to paying guests six weeks ago, the hotel has been nearly 80 per cent full, Kerzner said. Nightly rates range in price from $800 (£550) for a basic suite to $35,000 per night for the hotel’s signature suite, which features floor to ceiling views of Dubai. The 1,539-room hotel has two towers set in 130-acre grounds that feature an aquarium with 65,000 sea creatures.

Atlantis Hotel Full Video – Part1

Atlantis Hotel Full Video – Part2

“The Seventh Crossing ranks among the unique and landmark projects undertaken by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), which aims to ease traffic flow across Dubai Creek. RTA is keen to turn the seventh crossing into an iconic distinctive structure of Dubai worldwide,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA.

He said the crossing will provide free movement of traffic in all directions and full navigational traffic 24 hours a day as it rises 15 metres above the water level of the Creek, while the width of the waterway is 400 metres, enabling large yachts to pass through.

It comprises construction of roads and two underpasses to accommodate traffic inbound from Tariq Bin Ziyad Road and Umm Hurair Road to the junction of Al Riyadh Road and the extension of the 7th Crossing (currently the Floating Bridge) consisting of 2 lanes in each direction.

The first underpass passes from Tariq bin Ziyad Road under Al Maktoum and the second one, which serves traffic inbound from Umm Hurair Road, passes through Oud Metha Park.

The underpasses converge forming a 4-lane underpass towards Al Riyadh Road via Rashid Hospital. The junction of Al Riyadh Road with the extension of the Floating Bridge will be transformed to a four-direction interchange.

The project also includes widening of Tariq Bin Ziyad Road and improvements of Oud Metha and Umm Hurair Roads, as well as construction of a road to cater for the traffic inbound from the Floating Bridge towards Tariq Bin Ziyad Road.

From Deira direction, the 7th Crossing will be linked with Al Ittihad Road, which is currently being widened by the RTA at a cost of Dh800 million.

“Hydropolis is not a project; it’s a passion,” enthuses Joachim Hauser, the developer and designer of the hotel. His futuristic vision is about to take shape 20m below the surface of the Persian Gulf, just off the Jumeirah Beach coastline in Dubai.

The £300m, 220-suite hotel was due to open by the end of 2006 but has experienced delays and is now scheduled to open in 2009. It will incorporate a host of innovations that will take it far beyond the original blueprint for an underwater complex worthy of Jules Verne.

The original idea for Hydropolis developed out of Hauser’s passion for water and the sea, and goes much deeper than just building a hotel underwater. More than just curiosity, it is a commitment to a more far-reaching philosophy. “Once you start digging deeper and deeper into the subject, you can’t help being fascinated and you start caring about all the associated issues,” he explains. “Humans consist of 80% water, the earth consists of 80% water; without water there is no life.”

In order to enter this surreal space, visitors will begin at the land station. This 120m woven, semicircular cylinder will arch over a multi-storey building. On the lowest level passengers board a noiseless train propelled by fully automated cable along a modular, self-supporting steel guideway to Hydropolis. The upper storeys of the land station house a variety of facilities, including a cosmetic surgery clinic, a marine biological research laboratory and conference facilities. On the lower levels are the staff rooms, goods storage and loading areas, and hotel and parking areas.

The land station also includes a restaurant and high-tech cinema screening the evolution of life in the ocean and the history of underwater architecture. As a finale, the screen will open to reveal the real-life Hydropolis. A viewing platform at the front opening of the spanning roof will allow views of the architecture as well as the light shows of Hydropolis.

Hauser plans to incorporate many different elements associated with the sea. The cosmetics will be ocean-based, the cinemas will screen films that focus on aquatic themes and a children’s seaworld will educate as well as entertain.

He views his creation as a place where those who do not dive – or do not even swim – can experience the tranquillity and inspiration of the underwater world. “We are expecting around 3,000 visitors a day in addition to the hotel guests. The aim is to inspire people to develop a new awareness of the sea.”

Here is the Video of Hydropolis Dubai Underwater Hotel Project

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“Ziggurat communities can be almost totally self-sufficient energy-wise. Apart from using steam power in the building we will also employ wind turbine technology to harness natural energy resources. Whole cities can be accommodated in complexes which take up less than 10% of the original land surface. Public and private landscaping will be used for leisure pursuits or irrigated as agricultural land”, said Timelinks, MD, Ridas Matonis.

A horizontal and vertical integrated 360 degree network will be the mode of transportation in this city of the future, making cars redundant. Facial recognition technology for security purposes is another interesting feature that is going to be incorporated in Ziggurat Project.

The ginormous pyramid will cover 2.3 square kilometers, will be able to sustain a “community” of up to 1 million and will have plenty of green spaces for recreation and agriculture.