Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has toured Dubai Arena ahead of its opening.
The city’s new multi-purpose venue developed by Meraas at City Walk is the largest indoor arena of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Sheikh Mohammed said Dubai Arena is set to reinforce Dubai’s reputation in the tourism and family entertainment sector.
The development of the venue is aligned with the objectives outlined in Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2020 and the Dubai Tourism Strategy that aims to attract 25 million tourists a year by 2025.
The Dubai ruler was also briefed on Dubai Arena, which has the capacity to accommodate 17,000 visitors and host multiple events across diverse domains all year round.
Abdulla Al Habbai, chairman of Dubai Holding and group chairman of Meraas, said: “With Dubai Arena, the city has set a new benchmark in the tourism and family entertainment sector – shaping a new avenue for economic growth while also enhancing the emirate’s potential as a top destination for some of the world’s most prestigious events.
“We believe that Dubai Arena perfectly complements City Walk’s unique community and lifestyle experiences and is a game changer in Dubai’s efforts to consolidate its status as a premier tourist destination.”
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the UAE’s leisure and entertainment market potential will reach 45 million tourists by 2021, of which international tourists will account for 30 million.
Another report by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry states that spending within the UAE’s travel and tourism sector is estimated to reach $56 billion by 2022.
Dubai Arena is set to enhance Dubai’s entertainment scene by attracting the best live entertainment acts and international sport events.
It is designed to host end-stage, central and half-stage concerts, sporting events such as tennis, basketball, boxing, volleyball and ice hockey matches, as well as gala dinners, exhibitions, conferences and festivals.
The day-to-day operations of Dubai Arena are being handled by international venue management company AEG Ogden, part of the Anschutz Entertainment Group. Its portfolio also includes The O2 in London, Staples Centre in Los Angeles, the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai and Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.
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