Dubai aims to beat own indoor ski slope record

Dubai, which has already an indoor ski resort boasting a 400-meter-long slope, looks forward to setting a new world record in the field as the new extravagant project will have a 1.2 Km long slope.

Dubai’s ski enthusiasts should be happy, as snow is in short supply in the Gulf emirate where summer temperatures can reach 45 C (113 F).

Estimated to cost of up to 25 billion dirhams ($6.8 billion/6.2 billion euros), the project is to extend from the Meydan race track in the emirate’s desert to Burj Khalifa, the world’s highest tower, reported Dubai daily Al-Bayan.

It will also have the world’s highest observation deck.

“We have committed to developing a multi-use destination which goes beyond expectations and will cater to every kind of person living and working here, as well as those who travel from around the world to visit”, Saeed Al Tayer, chairman of the Meydan City Corporation, told The National.

The first phase of the project, to accommodate up to 78,000 residents, is expected to be completed in the next five years coinciding with “World Expo 2020” to be hosted by the United Arab Emirates.

The new ski run would be nearly three times as long, and be the centrepiece of a complex including a 711 metre-tall apartment tower, a 350-room hotel and a 420-metre fountain.

Meydan One Mall – because of course there’s a mall – will be home to 652 stores. With more than 300 restaurants, cafes and kiosks offering fine dining and fast food options, the mall will also attract retailers, luxury stand-alone outlets and nightlife.