Meraas, a UAE-based holding company specialised in creating and delivering unique experiences, has launched ‘Dubai Arena’, a new hitech multi-purpose venue which is set to become the biggest touristic destination for global events and live shows in the region.

Spanning over half-a-million sq ft and with a seating capacity of 20,000, the Arena is set to enhance Dubai’s leisure and entertainment offering and become the ‘go to’ venue for large scale international music concerts, sporting events such as hockey and NBA as well as other entertainment events.

It will be the only all-purpose indoor air-conditioned arena of its size in the entire region and will boast an advanced infrastructure allowing it to accommodate mega-events, said a statement from Meeras.

Strategically located at City Walk with close proximity to the Dubai International Airport and accessible via the Dubai Metro, the new venue will be at the heart of the emirate’s latest urban lifestyle destination surrounded by a plethora of hospitality, food and beveraages (F&B), entertainment and shopping options.

Meraas has broken ground on the project, which is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2018.

The Emirati developer has signed up international venue management company AEG Ogden, part of Anschutz Entertainment Group to manage the venue. It has also awarded the project management contract for the destination to DXB Entertainment, which will be responsible for overseeing the design and construction of Dubai Arena.

AEG Ogden is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company that owns, controls or is affiliated with a collection of companies including more than 100 of the world’s preeminent facilities such as The O2 in London, the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai and Qudos Bank Arena in Australia.
 
Abdulla Al Habbai, the group chairman of Meraas, said the group is committed to deliver Dubai Arena that will provide a globally distinctive entertainment experience in line with the Dubai Plan 2021.

"The new destination will enrich Dubai’s existing infrastructure and will add a new state-of-the-art venue that will accommodate international events and will raise the emirate’s credentials as a premium leisure and entertainment hub," he noted.

"Dubai Arena will host famous and world-renowned athletes, artists and performers and attract tourists to Dubai all year round. It will also host large global events and performances that have not visited the region as yet, due to the lack of a suitable platform for holding similar events," he added.

On the contract win, Harvey Lister, the chairman and chief executive of AEG Ogden, said it is excited to be working with Meraas to deliver an innovative world-class arena that will put Dubai on the international entertainment touring circuit and make a major contribution to the emirate’s continued development as a major tourism destination.

"Dubai is strategically positioned to capitalise on acts undertaking tours of Europe and Australia and AEG Ogden will use its worldwide network and contacts to secure leading international artists and shows for the venue," he noted.

According to him, Dubai Arena is designed to have automated malleable seats, which enables the venue to transform according to the scale of the event being held, no matter how small or big it is.

"It will also be able to host large-scale weddings requiring extremely grand decorations and unconventional set-up which cannot be accommodated elsewhere. It will allow Dubai Arena to be included alongside other major international cities such as London, Sydney and New York in hosting major touring events," stated Lister.

Dubai Arena joins the group's extensive line-up of exceptional destinations, designed to create a unique appeal for residents and tourists and bring novelty experiences to Dubai, reinforcing its position on the world tourism map, stated the developer.

On the deal, Raed Kajoor Al Nuaimi, the chief executive of DXB Entertainments, said: "Dubai Arena is a significant project that will impact the live entertainment industry in the region and will add a new experience to what Dubai will have to offer its residents and visitors."

"What makes Dubai Arena stand apart from its counterparts is its remarkable size, capacity, and ability to be transformed from a theatre to a stadium depending on the scale of the event," remarked Al Nuaimi.

"Our appointment to project manage a project of this scale is proof of the success we have achieved in delivering Dubai Parks and Resorts which opened on October 31. We are excited to work closely with Meraas to deliver yet another first to the industry," he added.-TradeArabia News Service