Emaar to build one of world's largest fountains

Emaar Properties said on Monday it plans to build one of the largest fountains in the world as the centrepiece of its Downtown Burj Dubai project.

The developer said the fountains would be capable of shooting water over 150 metres into the air - the height of a 50-storey building - and stretch over 275 metres - the length of two football fields.

The $218 million project will be 25 percent larger than the iconic fountains at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, Emaar said.

“The fountain on Burj Dubai Lake is more than a visual spectacle that adds to the aesthetics of Downtown Burj Dubai," Emaar Chairman Mohamed Alabbar said in a statement.

"It is an engineering marvel and will further contribute to Dubai’s rich array of tourist attractions."

Emaar said that like the Fountains of Bellagio its fountains would include an integral light and sound show and was expected to become one of Dubai’s major tourist attractions, drawing over 10 million visitors per year.

The fountains would shoot 22,000 gallons of water in the air at any given moment and feature over 6,600 lights and 50 colour projectors, it said.

Being able to shoot water over 150 metres will make the fountain on the tallest in the world.

However, the tallest water fountain in the world is thought to be the King Fahd's Fountain in Jeddah with a height of around 312 metres, followed by the Gateway Geyser in Illinois, US, and the Port Fountain in Karachi, Pakistan.

Emaar said the fountains have yet to be named and a cash prize of $27,225 has been assigned to the winner of a competition to name the water feature. All UAE residents are allowed to participate starting from July 1 to Sept. 15 by posting a name on Emaar’s website.

The structure is scheduled to be operational by 2009.

Downtown Burj Dubai is a $20 billion development that includes the Burj Dubai, Burj Dubai Lake, Dubai Mall, 30,000 homes, nine hotels, 6.2 acres of parkland and 19 residential towers.

READERS' COMMENTS

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM