Burj 'copy' moves to head off legal action

LEGAL PROTESTION: An artist's impression of the Trump Ocean Club. The tower's developer has sought legal protection against a possible lawsuit from the Jumeirah Group. (Supplied)

The developer of a Trump tower in Panama has sought legal protection against possible complaints from the Jumeirah Group over charges that it copied the designs of Dubai's iconic Burj Al Arab hotel.

In April Newland International Properties Corporation, which is building the Trump Ocean Club in Panama City, asked a local court for a protective order to prevent the owners of the Burj Al Arab from threatening a lawsuit.

No suit had been filed, but the company did not want the risk of a lawsuit to "negatively impact [its] project", according to newspaper Le Prensa.

Pictures of the two projects reveal similarities in their “mast and sail” motif.

A spokesperson for Jumeirah told the International Herald Tribune daily that “Burj Al Arab is unique in terms of its architecture, interior design and its luxurious standards of service”, but would not comment specifically on the case, or any similarities in the buildings.

Donald Trump has recently spread his wings to Dubai with The Trump International Hotel and Tower on the Palm Jumeirah, a joint venture between The Trump Organisation and Dubai-owned develop Nakheel.

Trump told ArabianBusiness.com in January that the $400 million tower was "probably the best looking building I've ever seen".

Recent court filings of a Trump branded development in Israel revealed details of how much Donald Trump earns for allowing his name to be used on projects around the world.

According to the lawsuit Trump filed against the Israeli developers, Trump was supposed to get 25% of every unit sold in Trump Plaza, to be built near Tel Aviv.

According to the New York Post the lawsuit alleges the developers announced plans to build the project then resold the land for a $36 million profit, without cutting Trump in on the deal.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Dubai is just going to watch
Posted by Saeed Al Ahmed, Chantilly, USA on Monday 26 May 2008 at 18:55 UAE time

Any other place they would have immediately filed a legal action against this. Dubai Burj Al Arab is a unique and beautiful, and the Trump copy is ugly and in bad taste, and wants to cash on this as an icon like they tried to do with magnificent Taj Mahal.

But, people should understand is - it is not always the look that matters - it is the original that matters - Nothing can replace Taj Mahal, or Burj-Al-Arab they are unique.

Burj 'Copy'
Posted by Manish on Monday 26 May 2008 at 11:56 UAE time


I think it should be the likes of Falcon City and other local projects that should be worried about law suits when the copy landmarks like Eiffel tower, Taj Mahal, etc.

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