Pictures: Dubai’s Mega Theme Park Project Starts Taking Shape

Dubai Parks and Resorts, the company developing a mega theme park complex in the emirate, announced that 35 per cent of overall infrastructure work has now been completed on the project.

Nearly 45 per cent of the utility services are complete, while 40 per cent of work on the power substation is done. Civil works have also started, and more than 50 per cent of the construction contracts have been procured, the company said.

(Watch: Video: Behind The Scenes At $2.9bn Dubai Parks And Resorts)

The $2.9 billion theme park complex, located in Jebel Ali, is spread across 25 million sqft in its first phase and includes three theme parks – Hollywood-theme Motiongate Dubai, Bollywood Parks Dubai – the world’s first park themed after the Indian movie industry, and Legoland Dubai – the first of its kind in the Middle East. The development will also feature Riverpark – an entrance plaza with F&B and retail options and Lapita, a Polynesian themed hotel.

A workforce of over 2,500 has been deployed on site to develop an initial area of approximately 16 million square feet. Access roads and parking will cover an additional nine million square feet of land.

The number of construction personnel on-ground at the project is set to increase to 6,500 by the end of 2015.

The project is on track for completion in late 2016, Brian Machamer, senior director – Theme Park Operations at Dubai Parks & Resorts confirmed to reporters.

“Any theme park usually takes around four to four and half years between conception to opening, and that’s the same case here,” he said. Most of the infrastructure for the rides is being imported from Europe and will be assembled locally.

Machamer also confirmed that the project was fully funded, with the company’s recent IPO accounting for a portion of financing.

Chief Projects Officer Paul La France (in picture below) affirmed that so far, the project was continuing on budget.

The company has appointed several contractors and consultants including Gensler, Forrec, Laing O’Rourke, ARCO General Contracting, Hill International, Samsung C&T and Cumming.

Dubai Parks and Resorts has also partnered with theme park operator Parques Reunidos to manage its Motiongate and Bollywood Parks, while Merlin Entertainments will manage Legoland Dubai. Luxury Hotels International Lodging, a Marriott company, will oversee the management of Lapita Hotel.

In its first full year of operations in 2017, Dubai Parks and Resorts is projected to attract 6.7 million visits, with further growth expected over the following four-year period.