The water, music and light spectacle being created by Emaar Properties on Burj Dubai Lake in Downtown Burj Dubai will be called ‘Dubai Fountain.’

Billed to be of the world’s finest water features integrating musical and attractive visual elements, Dubai Fountain is over 275m in length – equivalent to that of over two football fields.

Designed by California-based WET, a worldwide leader that specialises in the design of water features and also the designers of The Fountains at Bellagio in Las Vegas, Dubai Fountain will be about 25 per cent larger in area than The Fountain at Bellagio.

Following the successful completion of the fountain naming contest on September 15, a distinguished panel has selected the name which echoes the rising global prominence of Dubai and will be a fitting tribute to the city.

More than 4,000 participants representing over 100 nationalities took part in the competition, which was held from July 1 to September 15.

Although the competition was open only to UAE residents, entries were received from all across the globe, further reflecting Dubai’s growing global significance.

Participants of the competition had to suggest a name that they believed captured the essence of the spectacular fountain.

The winning name - Dubai Fountain - was chosen by a panel comprising senior management of Emaar, community leaders and project experts. The selection process was overlooked by a representative of Dubai Department of Economic Development.

‘Dubai Fountain’ was suggested by 15 participants, who will be contacted shortly. The total prize will be equally divided amongst the winners who have a valid UAE residency, said a top official.

Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman, Emaar Properties, said: “By announcing a competition for naming the fountain on Burj Dubai Lake, we wanted to engage the residents of Dubai in creating a new landmark for the city. The response to the competition was overwhelming and demonstrated the spirit of solidarity among the UAE residents.”

"The name Dubai Fountain is simple, has instant brand recall and above all, celebrates the global standing of Dubai as a multicultural destination and home to over 180 nationalities," he observed.

"Dubai Fountain is our tribute to this city, which serves as a platform for thousands of people to realise their dreams and enjoy a vibrant, modern lifestyle," he added.

‘Dubai Fountain’ also complements the other stellar attractions in close proximity – Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest building, and The Dubai Mall, one of the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destinations.

Powerful water nozzles shoot water sprays to heights of over 150m – equivalent to that of a 50-storey building.

Over 6,600 lights and 50 colour projectors create a visual spectrum of over 1,000 different water expressions. Different combinations of water-forms perform to selected musical pieces – chosen from a range of classical to contemporary Arabic and world music.

Dubai Fountain forms the centerpiece of the 12 hectare Burj Dubai Lake and will be operational in 2009.

Open for free viewing, the fountain adds to the leisure appeal of the Dh73 billion ($20 billion) Downtown Burj Dubai development, a mixed-use project with homes, offices, hotels and a vibrant Boulevard.-TradeArabia News Service