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Universal Studios Theme Park Planned For Middle East

POSTED: Monday, April 30, 2007
UPDATED: 10:45 pm EDT April 30, 2007

A Middle Eastern company has reached a deal to develop a Universal Studios theme park and Universal City Dubailand commercial and entertainment complex in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, according to Local 6 News partner Florida Today.

Universal Parks and Resorts spokesman Jim Canfield said his company reached the licensing deal with Tatweer, a unit of Dubai Holding. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Under the deal announced Monday, Tatweer will build a 22 million-square foot Universal City Dubailand, so named because it is the center of the expansive Dubailand project, the Florida Today report said.

The $2.2 billion Universal City Dubailand project is one of many -- like the residential islands the Palms and The World-- designed to lure tourists to the United Arab Emirates.

The centerpiece of the development is a 6.5 million-square-foot Universal Studios Dubailand, scheduled to open in 2010.

It will contain four zones, among them a Hollywood zone, a Metropolis zone and an Adventure zone.

"Universal Studios Dubailand’ will blur the line between fact and fiction, and be the place where visitors can relive stories once reserved for the silver screen," Tatweer Executive Chairman Saeed Al Muntafiq said in a statement. "Scenes from the biggest names in filmmaking history, such as 'Jurassic Park' and the motion picture 'King Kong,' amongst many others, will be transformed into adventures with the completion of the project."

The executives on the project are hoping for as many as 5 million visitors a year.

In addition to the theme park, Universal City Dubailand will include hotels, shopping, commercial offices and homesites.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

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