Sporting stars

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As the Rugby World Cup is currently demonstrating in France, the public love a grand sporting occasion and, provided the facilities befit the occasion, spectators will flock in their hundreds of thousands to be part of the event. Dubai has made no secret of wanting to attract 15 million tourists by 2010, and with sports and leisure-related tourism estimated as a $1.2 trillion industry, there can be no doubt that Dubai has targeted this industry as a sure way of meeting this figure.

But the city has a long way to go before matching some of the more established sporting capitals. Here, Construction Week takes a look at the competition Dubai is up against, and its own contender, before it can take its place as a sporting city on the international stage.

Wembley Stadium

At a construction cost of $1.6 billion (£778 million), and with 90,000 seats, the stadium has the second largest capacity in Europe (after Barcelona's Camp Nou) and the largest in the world with every seat under cover.

Designed by architects HOK Sport and Foster and Partners and built by Multiplex, it is also the most expensive stadium ever built. Initial plans were for the much-loved original to be demolished by Christmas 2000, and for the new stadium to be completed some time in 2003. However, numerous financial and legal obstacles meant work was finally scheduled to be completed on 13 May 2006. Eventually, the keys were handed over to the FA on 9 March 2007, with the total cost - including transport infrastructure redevelopment and financing costs - estimated at roughly $1.97 billion.

The 90,000 seats can be protected from the elements by a sliding roof. It can also be adapted into an athletics stadium by erecting a temporary platform over the lower tier of seating. The stadium's signature feature is its arch of 7m internal diameter, with a width of 315m, rising 140m. It supports all the weight of the north roof and 60% of the weight of the retractable roof on the southern side. The archway is the world's longest unsupported roof structure.

Dubai Sports City

Where some cities build one stadium, Dubai is striving to build a whole city dedicated to sports. Dubai Sport City, currently under construction, will form the cornerstone of the $20 billion Dubailand development, and, some say, will be used in Dubai's 2016 Olympic bid.

The main sports structure will be the 60,000-seat, multi-purpose outdoor stadium, which will be used for athletics, football and rugby. German contractor Max Boegl signed a joint venture with Arabtec for the construction of the stadium. Other venues include a 25,000-seater cricket stadium (expandable to 30,000). German subsidiary Alpine Bau Deutschland has been commissioned to build the stadium and the $82 million contract is scheduled for completion in December 2007. It will be one of the most advanced stadiums of its kind in the world and the ICC has been involved in all stages of the design process to ensure the stadium meets the relevant specifications for hosting international cricket fixtures.

Formally launched in March 2004, DSC will span 4.6 million m2 when complete at a cost of $3 billion. It will also feature a 10,000-seat indoor arena, a 5,000-seat hockey stadium and an 18-hole golf course designed by Ernie Els. There will also be the world's first purpose-built Manchester United Soccer School facility, the ICC Global Cricket Academy and a David Lloyd Tennis Academy.

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