The ground-breaking ceremony of the Dh20 billion ($5.44 billion) Dubailand was held recently.

The project, forecast to be twice the size of Disneyworld in Florida, will have 50,000 rooms in 285 hotels and 150 serviced apartments. Dubailand will see the construction of 50 new hotels and resorts.
The project will have six clusters, including Attractions and Experience World, Sports and Outdoor World, Eco Tourism World, Themed Leisure and Vacation World, Retail and Entertainment World and Downtown.
“Dubailand with two billion sq ft of developed infrastructure and world-class facilities – including entertainment, retail, sports and theme parks – will be double the size of Disneyworld and 100 times the size of Monaco,” he said.
The initial spadework on the project site, which will eventually cover two million sq ft, has already started on the Emirates Ring Road and the entire project is expected to take between 10 and 15 years to complete.
Once complete, Dubailand will encompass over 45 leisure, entertainment and tourist facilities, according to the top official of the operating company overseeing the project.
One of the constituents of the project – the Dh7 billion ($1.90 billion) Dubai Sports City (DSC) was officially launched recently.
Once complete DSC will be the world’s first integrated purpose-designed sports city that will boast some of modern sport’s biggest brand names as associate partners.
Mohammed Al Gergawi, chairman of Dubai Development and Investment Authority (DDIA) says: “Every aspect of DSC will assist in positioning Dubailand alongside the world’s finest in entertainment, leisure and sport.
 “The fact that our partners in Dubai Sports City have attracted names such as Manchester United, Ernie Els, Butch Harmon and David Lloyd, shows the kind of world-class expertise that will help in the development of Dubailand,” he pointed out.
The DSC launch is in line with the aspirations of DDIA and the Dubai Tourism and Development Company, and the project’s investors, to transform Dubai into a centre for sporting excellence.
Work on DSC has begun with a time-line set for 2008. DSC will include some of the world finest sporting academies, and has already signed MOU’s with the Manchester United to run and manage the permanent football academy.
DSC will also host the region’s first David Lloyd Tennis Academy, and a golf academy.
Key projects at the DSC include:
• 18-hole championship golf course;
• Outdoor multipurpose stadium;
• Indoor multipurpose stadium;
• World class sports training academies;
• Cricket stadium;
• Hockey stadium;
• Comprehensive sports facilities;
• Swimming pools; and
• Gymnasiums and game rooms.