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Green light for the construction of an indoor theme
The developer of City of Arabia, Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group (IMG), has obtained the support of two banking institutions in the Middle East to finance an indoor amusement park of about 27,5 acres / 11 hectares which opening is scheduled in late 2013 in South Dubai, UAE.
City of Arabia is a huge complex now under construction in the heart of Dubailand. When completed, this will be a real city with a subway system, offices, housing, hotels and various leisure activities grouped under the roof of the Mall of Arabia that will be one of the biggest shopping centers in the world with over 1,000 retailers.
The IMG Theme Park - which is the name currently used for the project - should accommodate innovative rides and one of the region's largest roller coasters. In this regard, the German manufacturer Mack Rides has already confirmed during the last IAAPA Asian Attractions Expo that one of their Launch Coasters (similar to Blue Fire at Europa-Park) has been ordered. IMG also announced it has signed several licensing agreements with international companies for the use of their concepts and characters, without any specific details so far.
Ilyas Galadari, co-owner of IMG, said: "Dubai is a vibrant economy that attracts millions of visitors a year and a quality theme park will add to the options available to these visitors. The theme park will be a strategic landmark in Dubai, adding to HH Sheikh Mohamed's views of making the UAE a destination of choice. Strategically located on Emirates road, this facility is easily accessible from all Emirates of the UAE. We're proud of the licensing arrangements we have been able to sign for our park. The theme park will be built to the highest standards with the best vendors being selected to build the rides."
Mustafa Galadar, the other co-owner of IMGi added : “A fully indoor facility ensures that the park is open all year round to visitors. The ride mix has been carefully chosen to ensure there is enough to do for all ages. The ticket pricing will be kept competitive and there will be strategic tie-ups with Hotels and Airlines to drive visitors through our Park. Considering Dubai's strategic location, not only are we expecting visitors from the GCC region but also from other parts of the world. The completion of our park will ensure that the residents of Dubai and neighboring countries need not travel about seven hours to get to a quality theme park. The Park will also generate a significant demand around it for Hotels, Hotel Apartments along with other retail and leisure components."
The development of City of Arabia has been sharply slowed by the 2008 financial crisis that has stymied most estate projects in the region, particularly those related to Dubailand. The green light of the banks for the theme park now allows IMG to continue building the Mall of Arabia before launching the other phases of the complex.
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The NewsParcs' Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week is a round-up of the latest news relative to companies supplying the theme park industry around the world. This weekly report covers topics such as corporate announcements, ...
Our Industry Roundup is a summary of the latest major news related to the theme park industry worldwide. We report news specifically on operators, owners, trade associations and related organizations, including trends, attendance...