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Meydan City and Meydan Racecourse Dubai

Meydan refers to the Meydan Racecourse and/or Meydan City (Meydan Racecourse City) project in the Nad Al Sheba (Nadd Al Shiba, Nad Al Shebaa) area of Dubai. The Meydan Racecourse is off Al Meydan Road, and hosts the annual Dubai World Cup horse race.

Meydan City Corporation developments (planned, existing, under construction, under consideration)

• Bab Al Shams - hotel resort a few km away from Meydan City (takes an hour or so if you have a fast horse and don't get hit by a truck on the way).
• India - maybe something planned (30 March 2012 news report but nothing specific mentioned).
• Korean Hospital - JV project between Meydan and Mir Hashem Khoory (MHK) with Bobath Memorial Hospital in Korea, cost AED 600 Million, reported Mar 2013.
• Meydan City - large development with shopping mall, residential accommodation, various horse and sports related facilities including a golf course, horse academy, tennis academy.
• Meydan Hotel ("The Meydan"?) - overlooks the Meydan Racecourse.
• Meydan Marina?
• Meydan Racecourse and Grandstand - the grandstand is the large building that looks like Starship Enterprise at night.
• Meydan Cycle Park (Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park) - cycling and running tracks on the site of the old camel race course.
• Sobha City - project within Meydan City being developed with Sobha Group of India. Area 750,000 square meters (land purchase from Meydan Group in 2013?). Construction expected to start in 2013. Development will include a shopping mall, hotels, villas, apartments. Also a school?
• Tianjin Equine Culture City - project in China, JV with other organisations in China.

Education in Meydan City

• AFLEC Lycee Francais International school - opening in September 2013.
• International Concept for Education school (ICE)
• Kent College Canterbury Meydan Dubai, Nad Al Sheba 3 - announced March 2013, opening September 2015.
• Meydan Education Complex
• Sobha International Academy? Seen in KHDA reference Mar 2014 with an opening date of September 2015, possibly part of the Sobha Group development in Meydan but no further information supplied.

Meydan Racecourse and Grandstand

• Two tracks - turf track (grassed) 2400 meters, and all-weather track (Tapeta synthetic dirt) 1750 meters (8.75 furlong) long. Both tracks are left-handed.
• Large LED screens (the largest in the world ... of course).
• Main grandstand is 1.6 km long, accommodates 60,000 spectators. Can also be used as a business conference facility.
• Corporate suites (72 of them) with food and drink, and TV screens.
• Terrace viewing from the Bubble Lounge, with infinity pool.
• Other facilities include boat house (what?) concourse plaza, hotel, sky-bubble restaurant (or that's another name for the Bubble Lounge).
• Horse racing museum and gallery planned.
• It operates from November to March and features the Winter Racing Challenge, Dubai International Racing Carnival and the Dubai World Cup Night. The Dubai World Cup is the world's richest race day with over $26.25 million (Dh96.4 million) in prize money.
• Racecourse tracks in operation from November to March with events including the Dubai International Racing Carnival, Dubai World Cup Night at the end of March, Winter Racing Challenge.

Meydan racecourse opening date

• First race night of the 2010 Dubai horse racing calendar held at the Meydan race track Thursday 28 January 2010, on the all-weather track.
• 04 March 2010 was a sort of pre-opening ceremony event with a Sting concert - "A Night At Meydan" - after the races.
• Official Meydan opening ceremony on 27 March 2010 with the 15th Dubai World Cup followed by fireworks and music, then concerts by Elton John and Santana starting around 11pm. Concert viewing for free in the public area, but binoculars would be useful.

Meydan Hotel

• "The Meydan" hotel soft opening date 04 March 2010, same night as the Dubai International Racing Carnival Super Thursday horse races and Sting concert.
• Most hotel rooms overlook the horse racing circuit.
• Total of 285 rooms: 1 royal suite, 2 presidential suites, 8 Meydan suites, 19 panoramic suites, and 255 balcony deluxe rooms.
• Other facilities include rooftop swimming pool, IMAX cinema film theatre, trackview terrace, spa, gymnasium and fitness center, business center.
• Total of 7 restuarants and bars including a pool bar, lobby lounge bar.
• An 11 February 2010 statement from the Banyan Tree group, the contracted managers of the Meydan hotel, said they were taking legal action against Meydan: "Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts Pte. Ltd. ("BTHR") has initiated arbitration proceedings against Meydan LLC, Meydan Group LLC and Meydan City Corporation for various breaches of the Hotel Management Agreement for The Meydan and the Villa Management Agreement for Banyan Tree Meydan", which apparently follows a November 2009 decision that Banyan Tree would not be the managers / operators of hotel as initially announced in October 2007.
• Jumeirah Group was reported to be involved in the launch of the Meyday Hotel according to an 11 February 2010 report in Hotelier Middle East, quoting an unnamed spokesperson from Jumeirah: "I can confirm that Jumeirah Group has been asked to support the set-up and initial operation of The Meydan, a hotel which forms part of the Meydan Racecourse City project in Nad Al Sheba. This involves sharing our expertise to assist the hotel with its pre-opening plans in advance of the official launch."
• VP for Hotels and Hospitality for Meydan is Abdin Nasralla, previously the General Manager of Jumeirah Bab Al Shams (according to the same HME report).
• Meydan signed a letter of understanding (LoU) with Jumeirah Group for the management of The Meydan (hotel) in June 2010 (28 June 2010 press release).

Meydan Sting concert

• "A Night at Meydan" concert performance by Sting (ex-Police group - Roooooooooxaaaaannnneeee, Don't Stand So Close, Synchronicity, etc), presented by Live Nation. Mr Sting previously performed in Dubai as part of his "Brand New Day" tour at the Dubai Aviation Club tennis stadium on 19 April 2001 - a fantastic show it was too, including a memorable live performance of "Desert Rose" with Cheb Mami. Mr Mami probably won't join Mr Sting this time around though - in July 2009 he was sentenced to 5 years jail in France.
• Start time is about 2300 (11pm), after all the horses have had a jog around the track. Sting concert ticket holders can also come earlier to watch the horses according to the Meydan press release 04 February 2010: "Gates to Meydan will open from 6 pm for ticket holders who are interested to also view the races."
• Ticket prices for humans: AED 735 Premium Seats, AED 555 - Not So Premium Golden Circle, AED 275 - Cheap Golden Circle, AED 150 - Premium Standing. Ticket prices for horses unknown. Available from Time Out Tickets Dubai, Virgin Megastores, and Box Office ME.
• According to 7 Days on 04 March 2010, spectators watching the horse racing in the free seats won't be required to leave before the concert starts, and so will get a free concert (although it might be far away). Update: Indeed, it was free for those visitors, and although it was far in the distance, the giant video screens and grandstand seating made for a very comfortable view. The 150 dh standing tickets had a poor deal, not much closer than the free seats, and further away than indicated on the ticket map.

Meydan City development - 30 March 2012 (summary of Gulf News report)

• Chairman of Meydan City Corporation, the developer of Meydan City, is Saeed Humaid Al Tayer.
• Meydan Golf Course (9 holes?) and Club House expected to open soon (see other golf clubs in Dubai in the meantime if you want to hit little balls into little holes far far away).
• Meydan Tennis Academy opened "recently" (opening date not supplied). See below for more details.
• Meydan Beach Club at Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) opening shortly - will serve guests at the Meydan Hotel.
• Meydan Horse Academy to be launched soon (see also other Dubai horse riding venues).
• Meydan villa development (528 villas reserved for Emirates pilots and families) - completion date not clear.
• Meydan City shopping mall worth about AED 2-3 billion. Construction start date and completion date not supplied. Go to another shopping mall in Dubai in the meantime.
• Boutique hotel (unnamed) near the shopping center under consideration or planned. Investment value maybe AED 100 million?
• Two hospitals - construction schedule not supplied. But there are other hospitals in Dubai where you can get repairs done.
• Jogging track and cycling track - in planning stages only? See also cycling in Dubai.
• Sobha City - development planned within Meydan City, agreement signed with Sobha Group of India in February 2012?
• Meydan City development land area about 1.4 million sq meters with 3.7 million sq meters gross floor area (GFA). Figure of 1,900 hectares also given. Development divided into four sub-districts - Meydan Godolphin Parks, Meydan Horizons, Meydan Metropolis, Meydan Racecourse.

Meydan Tennis Academy

• Meydan Tennis Academy (MTA?) opening date early 2012 (opening date not supplied)?
• MTA operated by Tennis 360 in partnership with Meydan Group. Tennis 360 also operates tennis coaching academies at the American School of Dubai and the Shangri-La Hotel in Dubai.
• Location of MTA is next to the Meydan Hotel.
• Open to members and casual visitors.
• Facilities include 7 tennis courts, five-a-side football court, padel tennis court (not a spelling mistake, it's different from paddle tennis). Courts have floodlighting for night time use.
• Tennis court base made of plexicushion (latex, rubber and plastic mixture).

Banyan Tree Meydan

• The Banyan Tree Meydan is a villa resort in the Meydan project under development, with 77 units.
• Given that Banyan Tree has initiated legal action against Meydan (11 February 2010 statement), the resort might end up with a different name.

Maydan development - 2007-2009 information

• 14 October 2007 - phase one and business park sold out (Dubai Eye talk with CEO of Dubai Racing Club)
• WCT is using joint ventures to tap demand in the Middle East after winning a $372 million (Dh1.37bn) contract with a partner in July to build a Formula 1 racetrack in Abu Dhabi.
• Meydan location at beginning of Dubai Al Ain Road, near Business Bay
• Announced at 2007 Dubai World Cup, Meydan development piling started April 2007, completion expected late 2009.
• will host the 2010 Dubai World Cup
• Chairman Saeed Al Tayer
• Designers Teo A Khing Design Consultants (Malaysia)
• Meydan Racecourse area 76 million square feet
• Close to Meydan City - with Meydan Marina (about 80 berths), tramline from Meydan City to Meydan Racecourse
• Piling began in April 2007
• Completion scheduled for late 2009
• Meydan Grandstand building will accommodate the Dubai Racing Club and the Emirates Racing Authority
• 10 restaurants, a 5-star hotel, museum, gallery, carparking for 10,000+ cars (8000 in the Falcon Car Park, 5000 more in public parking area)

19 September 2007 - Arabtec (Dubai) & WCT Engineering (Malaysia) awarded contract for Meydan construction

• AED 4.6 billion Joint Venture contract
• WCT Malaysia also in a joint venture to build Formula 1 Race Track in Abu Dhabi.
• 1 km long racetrack (Check, ET says Grandstand is 1 km long), 60,000 capacity grandstand
• Luxury hotel

Meydan contract in China - Tianjin Equine Culture City

• On 28 (?) March 2010, the Meydan City Corporation in Dubai announced plans to build Tianjin Horse City in China - in the Tianjin province (which probably explains the name).
• Project would be a joint venture with TAK Design Consultants of Malaysia, Zhouji Jiye and Tianjin Farm Group of China.
• Equine facilities expected to include breeding base, the Hua Zhi Jie International Equestrian College, feedstuff plant, horse hospital, quarantine centre, race track.
• General facilities to include 5 to 7 star luxury hotels, clubhouse, commercial offices, residential accommodation, shopping center (unknown if pet food will be sold).
• Total investment value of about US$1.46 billion (might be just for the college?)
• Construction to be in 5 stages with total duration of almost 6 years, from May 2010 to December 2015.
• Stage 1 completion by end 2011 - equestrian college, feedstuff plant, stud farm
• Stage 2 completion by end 2012 - clubhouse, entertainment area, horse trading centre, hotel, shopping centre
• Stage 3 completion by end 2013 - offices, residential accommodation
• Stage 4 completion by end 2014 - franchises to be developed for national standard club events, national equestrian club, and national equestrian park. Also the start of development of a horse culture communication market, and international events market.
• Stage 5 completion
• Possibly another horse city project planned for a second location in China (30 March 2012 news report but vague on any details).

Tianjin Equine Culture City

• 11 November 2010 - signing ceremony held to launch a new joint venture (JV) company called Hua Zhi Jie Horse Industries, based in Tianjin, to develop and manage the new Tianjin Equine Culture City.
• JV is between International Equine Group (IEG), formed between Meydan (Dubai, UAE) and Teo A. Khing Design Consultants (TAK) (Malaysia), and Tianjin State Farms Agribusiness Group Company, an entity owned by the Chinese government.
• Area about 5,000 mu of land (3.33 million sq m) with race tracks, training tracks, stables and other equine facilities.
• An international flat racing event similar to the Dubai World Cup might be held by 2012.

Last update Thursday 03-Apr-2014. Page development 3D 4L 5C.

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