# Dream City (island) in UAQ



## farnush (Dec 12, 2004)

REad the last3 paragraphs from this article

http://www.rismedia.com/index.php/article/articleview/11288/1/1/


The Business, London

RISMEDIA, August 4 – (KRT) – The world has been buying up Dubai for two years, since the Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, opened the way to foreign ownership of freehold property. Now, thanks to another of the Sheikh's schemes, the world is up for sale in Dubai. The World, in this case, is a collection of 250 to 300 private islands being built two miles off the coast, each in the shape of a nation.

Dreams of global domination are only a few megabucks away: once you've bought your island-country for about £3.67m and bagged your territory, you're free to build anything you desire. The World, which should fully emerge from the waves by 2008, is part of Dubai's multi-billion pound plan to attract foreign property investors and increase tourism, so the Emirate's wealth doesn't dry up with the oil.

Dubai's ruling family is the driving force behind other projects, including the Palm islands -- the largest man-made islands in the world, built in the shape of palm trees, where half the England football team own villas. The first two Palm islands are nearing completion and will have 4,000 beachside villas and 5,000 apartments along 70 miles of coastline. The third and largest island will be the size of Greater London and have 240 miles of coastline, the setting for 8,000 seaside villas and townhouses.

The third Palm island was launched in November as a direct result of the foreign property buying boom in Dubai. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayam, chairman of the government-owned development company, Nakheel, says: "We have continued to be inundated with requests from investors all over the world, and in response, a new palm island -- similar in shape to those being constructed in Jumeirah and Jebel Ali -- will be built on the Deira Corniche."

The factors fuelling the rush to Dubai include year-round sunshine with average temperatures ranging from 24°C in winter to about 45°C in July, soft, white sand beaches lapped by a clear blue sea, low crime and a relatively westernised culture. English is spoken everywhere. Women can drive and walk unaccompanied. Alcohol can be drunk at home, in hotels and on licensed premises.

Twenty first century Dubai also woos the world with its space age architecture and out of this world tax-free shopping malls, like the Burj Dubai: a swanky urban development centred on the world's tallest tower -- the Sheikh's dream child.

The biggest leisure project on the drawing board is DubaiLand, the Middle East's answer to Disneyland. The 2.5bn square feet development consists of 45 projects, including the world's biggest shopping centre, a range of themed attractions and the $2bn Dubai Sports City, a joint venture with First Islamic Investment Bank.

The world's first purpose built, integrated sports city will have an 18-hole championship golf course, cricket, football, rugby, hockey and athletics stadiums, a Manchester United soccer school, David Lloyd tennis complex, two hotels, cinema, country club and health spa and 8,000 luxury homes.

Victory Heights is the 25m sq. ft. first phase of the gated residential development being built around the 18-hole golf course at Sports City, designed by golfing super star Ernie Els, which is due to be completed in 2007. Large, opulent, villas overlooking the fairways are selling from plan priced from £350,000 for three bedrooms, rising to £495,000 for four bedrooms.

There are no taxes in Dubai, so there's no local tax to pay when you buy or sell. And, since the Crown Prince's decree two years ago, foreigners can buy "freehold" property in the "free zones", where the major developments such as Palm islands are taking place, including Jumeirah, The Palms and The World. But the principle has not yet been enshrined in federal law. Under UAE law, foreigners can currently only own leasehold property.

The buying spree has been spurred on by relatively low property prices. Until recently, Dubai looked inexpensive. But costs are going up. On some developments, prices have tripled in two years, as investors buy off-plan and sell on before completion.

On the Palm Islands, detached villas fetch up to £800,000, but the entry costs in Dubai are lower. Investors from Britain are piling into The Torch -- a landmark building by Dubai Select -- selling from plan at Dubai Marina. The 74-storey waterfront skyscraper, with a torch design -- illuminated by night -- will include 504 apartments, all with views over The Palms, The World and the Arabian Gulf. More than 360 apartments have sold at prices from £107,000 for one bedroom. Completion is due June 2008.

For a less expensive slice of the United Arab Emirates, you could try Dream City, a 13.5m square feet development being reclaimed from the sea in Umm Al Quwain, about 30-minutes from Dubai. Seen from the sky, Dream City is shaped like a giant eye, with eyelashes protruding out into the Arabian Gulf. Each of these lashes will be sprinkled with movie star's homes on either side, and every villa has a yacht mooring.

The eye will include an 18-hole championship golf course, designed by Padraig Harrington. There will also be a horse race track (on personal request from the Sheik of Umm Al Quwain), two marinas, a flying club and mini airport, an equestrian centre and polo club, an extreme sports park, a water park, four hotels, shopping malls, bars, nightclubs and restaurants.

Around 400 large, opulent villas are being at Dream City, priced from E440,000 for 447 sq metres. There will also be 160 townhouses and 210 apartments costing from E222,000 and E145,000 respectively. According to agent, Nigel Pointer of Capital Eyes International (0207 083 0193), these prices reflect the original costs of homes in Dubai's Palm Islands, which have since trebled in price.


CONTACTS

--Damac properties: 0207 499 9001; www. damacgroup.com

--Dubai Select: 0161 488 3555; www.dubaiselect.co.uk

--Dubailand: +971 4 330 2222; Web: www.dubailand.ae

--Emaar Properties: 971 4 367 3333; www.emaar.com

--The Palm: (Nakheel): +971 4 390 3333; www.thepalm.ae

--The World: (Nakheel): +971 4 390 3333; www.theworld.ae

--Dream City: Capital Eyes International Tel.0207 083 0193

Copyright © 2005, The Business, London

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: [email protected]


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## farnush (Dec 12, 2004)

this country is going island crazy


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## Dubai-Lover (Jul 4, 2004)

at least it seems to be a completely different shape

how many artificial islands projects do we have in the arabian gulf now together with bahrain & qatar

20?

once all these are reclaimed i want to see a photo of the persian gulf taken from space

strangely shaped islands all over the persian gulf 


why didn't local sources report about it?


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## Dubai-Lover (Jul 4, 2004)

at least it seems to be a completely different shape

how many artificial islands projects do we have in the arabian gulf now together with bahrain & qatar

20?

once all these are reclaimed i want to see a photo of the persian gulf taken from space

strangely shaped islands all over the persian gulf 


why didn't local sources report about it?


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## Dubai-Lover (Jul 4, 2004)

at least it seems to be a completely different shape

how many artificial islands projects do we have in the arabian gulf now together with bahrain & qatar

20?

once all these are reclaimed i want to see a photo of the persian gulf taken from space

strangely shaped islands all over the persian gulf 


why didn't local sources report about it?


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## smussuw (Feb 1, 2004)

at least it seems to be a completely different shape

how many artificial islands projects do we have in the arabian gulf now together with bahrain & qatar

20?

once all these are reclaimed i want to see a photo of the persian gulf taken from space

strangely shaped islands all over the persian gulf 


why didn't local sources report about it?


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## dubaiflo (Jan 3, 2005)

LOL stop that. :hahaha:
ok another one, we will see.
but did you read that the torch will feature views of the world? 
i did not know the torch was able to reduce haze and was 1km tall...


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## DUBAI (Aug 24, 2004)

Why the **** Does the UAE need another GOLF course?


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## Dubai-Lover (Jul 4, 2004)

damn

ETISALAT SUCKS!!!!! :rant:

great a triple post over 8 minutes :bash:

HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT!!!

the connection is sooooooooo bad


we need more golf courses by the way!


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## smussuw (Feb 1, 2004)

Personally I think golf courses are a waste of money. I would prefer normal parks so that all the population go rather than a sport only minority like.


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## Dubai-Lover (Jul 4, 2004)

why not both, creating more golf courses and more parks?

golf courses in dubai have attracted a hell lot of wildlife

safa park is very nice and i also think zabeel park will rock

there should be more of this size and quality though


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## smussuw (Feb 1, 2004)

yea but so far they are expanding gold courses in a huge scale

Only tiny few population go to gulf courses. It is rare for citzens whether they were expats or locals to go there.


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## Dubai_Boy (May 21, 2003)

Yeah , building golf courses for tall rich german dude , blaaah  not fair

If we need more wild life , all we have to do is ship in more brits like juiced and DUBAI here  there wild enough


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## source27 (Aug 3, 2005)

yes well soon it will be renamed from
the persian/arab gulf to the persian/arab golf..


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## Trances (May 19, 2003)

lol
But the golf course to cater to small group. But there is money in them i guess. And they attract people more than open space in some cases due to image they carry more than the use.


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