Dubai Over the Top-- Again

Dubai’s newest landmarks — the world’s tallest performing water-spectacle and the largest shopping mall were unveiled yesterday.  The Dubai Fountain and the 12-million-square-feet Dubai Mall will now join the emirate’s ranks of impressive landmarks. The fountain’s beam of light shining upward can be seen from over 20 miles away and is believed to be visible from space making it the ‘brightest spot’ in the Middle East. Its powerful nozzles will shoot water sprays to the height of over 500 feet, equivalent to a 50-storey building.

Towering over 900 feet, the fountain is said to have a unique design made up of five circles of varying sizes and two arcs. Designed by California-based WET, the creators of the famous Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas, the Dubai Fountain also has double the mass of nozzles, and uses a colour projection system that is by far the largest and most sophisticated in the world.

The Dubai Mall, on the other hand, which aspires to be the fashion capital of the region is a construction marvel spanning over 12 million square feet. Over 1,200 retail outlets can be accommodated in the mall, which currently hosts more than 900 stores.

The mall has two food courts, with over 160 food and beverage outlets, and a seating capacity of over 3,000. Fashion Avenue is a 440,000sqft fashion precinct dedicated to haute couture with over 70 signature global fashion brands. Besides a dedicated VIP entrance, it features its own dedicated Fashion Catwalk — the first of its kind with a mall in the region.

The Gold Souk is a sprawling gold and jewellery retail showcase with over 200 stores. The mall also boasts of attractions including the Dubai Aquarium and the Underwater Zoo, an Olympic-sized ice-rink and The Waterfall — a water feature that offers a vantage meeting point for visitors.

New attractions that would be added soon include KidZania® — an award-winning children’s ‘edu-tainment’ concept that will be introduced to the region for the first time, Sega Republic — the mall’s high-adrenaline ride, adventure and a gaming zone spread over 76,000sqft across two levels and Reel Cinema, which is the 22-screen largest cinema complex in Dubai.   Source =  Khaleej Times