By Okorie Uguru
The Downtown Dubai is a developed modern and futuristic part of the city of Dubai built to develop a cosmopolitan area capable of accommodating people from all over the world, and a place where every visitor to Dubai would want to visit. It is called the Centre of Now because Downtown Dubai captures what a modern day city should be like. However, to actually achieve its sobriquet of being the Centre of Now, those that conceptualised the area decided to put up iconic structures that would drive tourists to the Downtown. Major structures were conceptualised within the same complex to drive tourist traffic. These iconic world-class properties within the Downtown Dubai are: Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Shopping Mall and the Dubai Downtown Fountain. Other lesser known structures within the complex are the Palace Hotel, a high end luxury hotel with Arab theme interior and content. There is also the Address Dubai, a high rise tower of 63 floors that overlooks the Burj Khalifa. It is both a hotel and a residential service apartment. These structures have become so popular the world over that millions of tourists flock to the complex daily. At 828 metres tall, with 163 floors, the Burj Khalifa located in Downtown Dubai, is the tallest building in the world. This signature building, and other ambitious downtown projects were conceptualized by the Emaar Group under the group’s visionary founder Sheikh Mohammed Alabbar.
Burj Khalifa
Before the completion of the structure on October 1, 2009, the world’s seven-star hotel, the Burj Al Arab was the most iconic building in Dubai, but the Khalifa has since taken over. The tower could be seen from almost every part of the city. At night, the shimmering light from the building glows radiantly. Every day, thousands of tourists line up from morning to night to have a vantage view of Dubai from the tower. To achieve that, the building has one of the fastest lift on earth at a speed of 10 metres per second. Ascending is fast and with little or no sensation. Every year about 17 million tourists visit the Burj Khalifa. Each tourist pays between 100 to 150 dollars depending on the level a tourist wants to get to. At the top of the Khalifa, all the other high-rise buildings in Dubai and around the Downtown look tiny and small. The best way to enjoy the Burj Khalifa is to stay at the 63 storey building The Address Hotel, Downtown Dubai, with a room facing the Burj Khalifa. It is a luxury like no other. The Address is opposite the Burj Khalifa, only separated from the tower by the Dubai Fountain, another iconic modern monument. From the rooms’ balconies, one could gaze and marvel at the Burj Khalifa as its silver glass colour shimmers in the sun. At night, the building turns into a burst of changing colours. One is also serenaded by the fountain, and watch as the water juts high into the sky and descends in a cascade of showers. It is one of the most amazing things to see in Dubai.
Dubai Fountain
It is regarded at the world’s largest choreographed fountain. Thousands of tourists from all over the world visit to watch the fountain as the water cascading with music entertains visitors. The fountain shoots up to 223, 000 gallons of water and the world could go as high as 140 metres. The water ebbs and flows with the music. It was built at a cost of 218 million dollars. It is the largest fountain show in the world. However, the Dubai Fountain is billed to be closed for renovation in April, 2025. It will also undergo improvement and would be reopened in five months.
Dubai Shopping mall
The Dubai Shopping Mall is regarded as the largest shopping mall in the world by total land area of 12,100,000 square feet. It has about 1200 retail shops and houses some of the biggest brands in the world. For most people, a visit to Dubai is not complete without shopping at the Downtown Dubai Shopping Mall. Most of the building structures in Downtown Dubai is owned by the Emaar Group, headed by Sheikh Mohammed Alabbar. Sheikh Alabbar is an average height lively individual with an infectious smile that kind of disarms visitors. He is warm and friendly most times, dressed in white jhalabia and with leather slippers. He is the total opposite of the influence and money he commands. Alabbar spoke on the Downtown vision: “We started our developing business in the 90s. They call us developing countries. We are not a developing country; we are a young country. This country is young. So, when I compare ourselves to the city of London, or New York? We are babies. Of course we are behind, and our people just want to live normal life. They want to stay in a comfortable and civilised place. We wanted to have a little bit of hope that things will be okay. I spent seven years of my life in Singapore in an investment company originally. I came back to Dubai in 1992. I worked a little bit with Economic Development Board for seven to eight years. I was working on taxes, old business relations, and stuff like that. I hired a lot of young people, about 200 of us, and we really did an incredible job. We had so much fun. “After seven, eight years, I decided that I can see progress in the city and dived into infrastructure, but when I wanted to start the company, I had no money. So, it was a challenge. But I drew a business plan, and people believed that because of my credibility, investors wanted to come. So, investors put in about 50 million dollars. The rules allowed me to go public at that time, and raised another 50 million dollars from the market. But I never thought it was going to be this big. I like development, I like designs, and I really like to do things well. I like reputation; I just believe that I am in a business where if somebody wants to buy a home from me, it must probably be the most important decision in one’s life.”
The small project that Alabbar and his young acolytes started in the 90s has grown into a 20-billion dollar investment and living hub. Downtown Dubai has turned into one of the man-made areas that one has to see before leaving this earth.