Dubai announced plans Monday to build the world's longest hotel corridor, a six-mile stretch of land to be called Bawadi, at a total projected cost of around $27.2 billion (100 billion dirhams).
The development will include 31 hotels, many with theme-based concepts, providing more than 29,000 rooms. Developers projected the complex would accommodate 3.3 million guests annually by 2016.
Tatweer, a subsidiary of the government-owned conglomerate Dubai Holding, will oversee construction and management. The company plans to contribute roughly $10.9 billion toward the project, with outside investors expected to cover the remainder.
Construction is scheduled in two phases, with the first due for completion in 2010 and the entire project finished by 2014. Dubai, which drew more than six million tourists in the previous year, has set a target of welcoming around 15 million visitors annually starting in 2010.
The announcement reflects the emirate's rapid expansion, as resorts, shopping centers, sports venues, and residential developments continue to rise across the desert landscape.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in May 2006, in its own words.