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Dubai Sports City
Dubai Sports City is a destination of enduring spirit and passion, a place whose heart and soul is expressed in rich iconography, timeless rituals and modern heroes. A place where sport is life, champions live, and legends are made. With over 50 million square feet of sporting venues, academies, exceptional homes, cultural activities and retail opportunities, Dubai Sports City is inspired by the greatest cities in the world, but at its heart beats the very essence of sport.
Dubai Sports City is the world's first purpose-built sports city. Set on 50 million square feet of land within the Dubailand development, Dubai Sports City will feature four magnificent stadia: a 60,000 seat multi-purpose outdoor stadium, a 25,000 capacity cricket stadium, a 10,000 seat multi-purpose indoor arena, and a field hockey venue for 5,000 spectators.
In addition, Dubai Sports City will be the venue for Ernie Els' first golf course design in the Middle East: an 18-hole championship course named The Dunes which will be the centrepiece of a luxury golf residential community called Victory Heights.
Dubai Sports City will host the first purpose-built Manchester United Soccer Schools facility in the world as well as the International Cricket Council's (ICC) own Global Cricket Academy, a David Lloyd Tennis Academy and the first Butch Harmon School of Golf outside the United States. The academies area will also house a 3,000 square metre gymnasium and an olympic-length swimming pool.
In addition to the sporting facilities, Dubai Sports City will boast all of the residential and commercial developments expected in a purpose-built city, including international schools, world-class medical facilities, hotels, leisure opportunities and a well-being and lifestyle country club, the Next Generation Club. The primary shopping destination at Dubai Sports City will be a sports-themed retail mall with a leasing capacity of approximately 1.2 million square feet. This mall will be complimented by a multitude of shops, markets, retail plazas and boutiques.
The first phase of Dubai Sports City, which will include the golf course, sports academies and other facilities, as well as the opening phase of the Victory Heights residential community, will be completed by the end of 2007, with the entire development set for completion by 2010.
Venues
The state-of-the-art venues at the heart of Dubai Sports City will form a new international arena for world-class competition. The venues, each built to the specifications of the global governing bodies for the relevant sports, will host major events in football, cricket, rugby, golf, field hockey, tennis and other sports.
Cricket Stadium
Seats: 25,000
Sports: Cricket
The 25,000 seat stadium, which is expandable to 30,000, will have state-of-the-art facilities for players, match officials, VIPs, spectators and the media. It will be one of the most advanced of its kind in the world and the International Cricket Council (ICC), the world-governing body of cricket, has been involved at all stages of the design process to ensure that the stadium meets the relevant specifications for hosting international cricket fixtures.
Multi-purpose Outdoor
Seats: 60,000 spectators
Sports: Rugby, football, track & field events
Multi-purpose Indoor
Seats: 10,000
Sports: Basketball, indoor hockey, volleyball, handball, netball, and ice hockey. Will also act as a entertainment centre for concerts and shows
Outdoor Hockey Field
Seats: 5,000
Sports: Hockey
The Dunes Golf Course
Redefining world-class golf, the focal point of Victory Heights is The Dunes, an 18-hole signature course designed by golf's international ambassador, Ernie Els. The Dunes is a links-style course combined with traditional design and is the championship golfer's first project in the Middle East.
Complimenting the world-class standards of play offered at The Dunes is a Butch Harmon School of Golf for players of all ages and skill levels as well as gracious amenities including a club house.
Both the golf course and the Butch Harmon School of Golf will be managed by internationally-renowned company, Troon Golf.
Academies
Dubai Sports City is home to a range of world-class sporting academies which will offer customized training programmes to participants of all ages and abilities.
MUSS
With a world-class coaching programme, Manchester United Soccer Schools offers the opportunity to live a dream and experience first hand the magic of Manchester United while emphasizing teamwork, discipline, and most importantly, fun. The Manchester United Soccer Schools programme in Dubai was launched in November 2005 by the manager of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson. With over 550 children aged from 7 to 16 attending the initial courses, the programme has got off to a fantastic start.
"As a club we are always looking at pioneering innovative ways of training and coaching our players and we believe in sharing our vision of youth development with our huge global support.
Manchester United is a club that strongly believes in the development of youth. New young players like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo have joined home grown talent like Darren Fletcher, John O Shea, Wes Brown, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and the Neville brothers showing a continued investment in youth.
From the first team down to the youth team all the coaches at Manchester United share the same vision: to produce high quality, attacking and exciting football. Our objective is for each individual to attain their optimum level of performance and to benefit from the experience of learning the "Manchester United Way"!
However, we believe that success is not just measured on the pitch, it can be attained off it too, through discipline and character. And it is our aim for young players to leave our courses with a feeling of achievement regardless of ability. Here at Manchester United we place huge importance on the Coaching Philosophy:
TO ENJOY PLAYING FOOTBALL IN A FUN AND FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT
Manchester United Soccer Schools present individuals and teams with the opportunity to live their dream and experience at first hand the magic of Manchester United! You can too. So either come with a friend or meet new friends there and have fun learning new techniques and skills at our new soccer school in Dubai." Sir Alex Ferguson CBE
ICC Global Cricket Academy
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has permanently moved its headquarters from London to Dubai Sports City, making this the new global centre for the sport. Dubai Sports City will also host the first ICC Global Cricket Academy, offering a synergy of skills and facilities that will allow cricket players at all levels to develop and hone their skills.
David Lloyd Tennis Academy
The David Lloyd Tennis Academy operates with the goal of developing talented youngsters on the court. British Davis Cup Captain David Lloyd has created an environment where everyone can learn, develop and grow as well as participate in leagues and events for more competitive players. The David Lloyd Tennis Academy at Dubai Sports City will provide everyone with the skills and confidence to realize their full potential.
Butch Harmon School of Golf
Butch Harmon is widely regarded as the best golf coach in the world. With a philosophy based on helping students understand their own unique game, the Butch Harmon School of Golf features state-of-the-art computer and video equipment to analyze a player's swing. The instruction is tailored to the individual and can work for any level of player, from amateur to pro. With the Ernie Els signature course nearby, practice really will make perfect.
Other Sports Facilities
Sports Medicine Facility
Dubai Sports City will host a world-class medical facility, including a specialist sports medicine and re-habilitation centre. This facility will also provide the main medical services for the entire development including 24-hour emergency facilities.
Next Generation Club
The Next Generation Club is a full service, health and country club offering a wide range of fitness facilities including a state-of-the-art gym, swimming pool, tennis and squash courts, yoga studios and a spa. The club is the only health and fitness club to receive the prestigious UK Sports Brand Leaders award.
Bradenton Academy
Situated adjacent to the academies, the Bradenton Academy (Florida) will offer an international Baccalaureate curriculum incorporating sports education using the sports academies for children from kindergarten to school leaving age.
Other Sports Facilities
- Multi-functional state-of-the-art gymnasium
- Olympic-size swimming pool
- Sports rehabilitation centre
- Accommodation facilities
Sports-themed Mall
Acting as the gateway to the venues is the largest sports-themed mall in the region with over 1.2 million sq ft of leasing space, giving visitors a panorama of boutiques and shops to choose from as they make their way to the venues, or for shopping in between events. The breadth of the mall also makes it the perfect destination for spending a day with family or friends exploring the many high-end retailers who find a home in this unprecedented location.
Retail Hub
Central Retail Hub
Surrounding the promenade of Dubai Sports City is a vibrant mix of retail shops and boutiques. Here, amidst exceptional architecture and expansive landscapes, shopping is truly scenic.
Southern Retail Hub
A variety of shops are conveniently located near the academy district of Dubai Sports City. Here the many homes, hotels and academies will enjoy close proximity to exceptional retail experiences.
This is only the beginning of the retail experience on offer at Dubai Sports City. Located throughout the master plan are retail plazas featuring a number of essential shops and convenience stores.
Hotels
Dubai Sports City will feature two international five-star hotels. One will be situated adjacent to the stadiums, the shopping mall and the main commercial hub. The other, a boutique hotel, will be close to the academies and within easy reach of Victory Heights, the country club and The Dunes golf course.
