Mega Projects Success Largely Determined by Strength of Internal Assets
‘Integration of Assets within Projects Encourages Completion and Delivery Despite Short-Term Economic Worries,’ Says Dubai Sports City Executive
Dubai’s mega projects create their own forward momentum, as component assets become integrated to provide an investment value that is greater than the sum of its parts, says a Dubai Sports City spokesperson.
Speaking at the MEED Dubai Mega Projects forum, Malcolm Thorpe, a senior spokesperson for Dubai Sports City, said that development’s ‘city within a city’ concept allows the various assets within the city to build on each others strengths.
“It is the integration of a mega project’s different elements which propels the whole project to completion,” said Thorpe. “There are often asset-specific time delays for various reasons, but there becomes an overriding collective confidence that the project will be delivered and be a success as planned.”
Dubai Sports City is a $4 billion, 50 million square feet mixed-use development which will be the world’s first integrated purpose-built sports city.
“The sheer size and scale of integrated projects encourage completion and delivery despite what can be considered short-term worries. We are extremely proud of the products we are delivering within Dubai Sports City,” added Thorpe.
Recently completed projects include the first handover of properties in the Victory Heights development at Dubai Sports City, and The Els Club golf course, which has already celebrated its first year of operation.
The Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium will host its first event in April 2009 with the Pakistan v Australia cricket series, and later this year will see a wide range of programmes on offer at the Dubai Sports City Academies.
“Dubai Sports City is providing a lifestyle choice for families to live, learn, work and play. People are now making Dubai Sports City their home, and as more areas of the project open, we will see a thriving community developing,” concluded Thorpe.
The Dubai Sports City development will be built around five major sports venues and feature a series of major sports academy facilities.
Included within the Dubai Sports City Academies Campus is the Dubai Sports City Football Academy – the home of Manchester United Soccer Schools, Dubai; the WorldHockey Academy, a first of its kind partnership with the International Hockey Federation; a Swimming Academy with a 50 metre training pool; a Rugby Academy and the International Cricket Council’s own ICC Global Cricket Academy.
In addition, Dubai Sports City is home to a David Lloyd Tennis Academy and the first Butch Harmon School of Golf outside the United States.
