MotorCity, a multi-million-dollar, multi-facility futuristic development by Union Properties, is in the very early stages of construction with work on the buildings having started recently.

Spread over 38 million sq ft in Dubailand, MotorCity is claimed to be the only project in the world that will offer residents, employers, businesspeople and tourists an exceptional combination of sophistication, thrills and quality of life. 
The infrastructure for MotorCity is almost complete, and works on the buildings commenced a few months ago, Simon Azzam, CEO of Union Properties, tells Gulf Construction. The infrastructure work is being undertaken by Al-Futtaim Carillion, which is also one of the main contractors on the development.
MotorCity will comprise five key components: Dubai Autodrome, Formula One Theme Park, Business Park MotorCity and two residential developments – Uptown MotorCity and Green Community MotorCity. Of these, its main attraction is the now-fully-operational Dubai Autodrome, which boasts a 5.4 km FIA-certified racing track with supporting services.
“Tenders for Uptown MotorCity, Green Community MotorCity and the Business Park MotorCity have already been issued and awarded while the Formula One Theme Park is at the design stage and construction should be starting very shortly,” says Azzam, pointing out that each of the components that make up MotorCity have been designed by different architects.
“We have Burt Hill and Khatib & Alami for Green Community MotorCity, Uptown MotorCity and Business Park MotorCity and the Canadian architects Forrec who have designed the Formula One Theme Park. The contract for the projects has been awarded to Al-Futtaim Carillion, Al Naboodah Laing O'Rourke, Nasa Multiplex and Al Saif Contracting. With the exception of the F1 Theme Park, work on the rest is already under way. The contractors are on site and the projects will be delivered in various stages, starting from the last quarter of 2008 to the second quarter of 2009,” says Azzam.
But what will make MotorCity a place to be chosen among the many other developments taking place in Dubai?
“It has all the elements you can think of. It is a city within a city, a residential-cum-commercial ‘city’ that will offer everything under one roof, from entertainment to retail with a great ambience that offers peace and tranquillity. I am more than confident that people will opt to have a place they can call their own in MotorCity,” he adds. “I think every element has its own charm and attractiveness, from Uptown MotorCity which will be predominantly apartment buildings that will be built on the lines of the popular Uptown Mirdiff, which has proved to be a huge success, to the Green Community MotorCity development that is being built on the success of the first Green Community. The Green Community MotorCity will be predominantly villas and has already proven to be a success.”
The Business Park MotorCity project too is already revving up business inquiries from all quarters. “We have been flooded with inquiries about Business Park, where,” says Azzam. “We are also developing a hotel, an auto mall and an office tower. This, together with the Formula 1 Theme Park and the Dubai Autodrome, completes the cycle of attractiveness that will draw people to MotorCity. We are targeting people across the board, from bachelors to new comers to the city to families who have been residents of Dubai for many years.”

Formula One
The Formula One Theme Park is being developed by Union Properties in conjunction with Formula One Administration Limited. It is set to become a visionary theme park that will feature state-of-the-art fun and entertainment facilities for all ages and all under one roof.
The $360 million development, spread over 5 million sq ft, will include a hotel and advanced conference centres, offering the global corporate community unique and truly original business facilities.
The F1 Theme Park will also be an edutainment destination for the whole family, designed to offer entertainment facilities such as roller coasters, F1 grid experiences, simulator rides, retail and dinning options. The project also educates visitors on Formula 1 and its related activities.

Business Park
The Business Park MotorCity has been planned to be a high-powered development offering numerous investment opportunities for companies directly and indirectly related to the automotive and motorsports industries. It will be a one-of-a-kind hub for automotive-related businesses, housing some of the industry’s biggest names. The land is being offered for private and institutional developers to construct and develop commercial buildings and towers and the Park itself has been divided into three main districts: The retail commercial district, the auto commercial district and the Applied Technologies district.

Residential districts
Uptown MotorCity will have superbly appointed apartments and town houses, ideal for individuals and families. “This is an apartment-oriented development that has been carefully designed to house a population living close to the energising Business Park and the Dubai Autodrome. While the development is apartment oriented, care has been taken in providing recreational areas and other community amenities such as parks and schools,” says Azzam.
The Green Community MotorCity will be a high-end residential development, offering elegant apartments, townhouses and bungalows of different styles and sizes. Construction of Green Community MotorCity started last year with anticipated completion and handover in 2009.
Massive projects such as MotorCity always throw a challenge. “The biggest challenge we face is in finding good-quality contractors, who can finish a project on time and to international standards,” says Azzam. This is largely due to the blistering pace and size of developments taking place in the emirate and the limited number of contractors available. Besides, there is the problem of being able to award contracts at prices one is comfortable with.”
The return on investments on a project like MotorCity is no simple straightforward calculation. Union Properties, however, is confident it will get its ROI (return on investment) quickly. “While we will be selling this project, we will, however, keep some elements of the project in our rental portfolio,” says Azzam.
Has Union Properties faced an environmental problem in building such themed cities?
“We have, but it’s not something that cannot be tackled and solved. We looked at all the issues related to the environment and noise levels were the main issue that people worry about. But having said that, the races at Dubai Autodrome only take place during the day. At night, it is as peaceful as it can get. In fact there’s more noise if you reside near some of the highways and other busy roads in the city,” Azzam concludes.