In the heady days of Dubai's rapid expansion roller coaster, many high-profile and incredibly ambitious projects were trumpeted.
One such development was the huge Dubailand and within that, the UAE's own $2 billion Universal Studios theme park - where a predicted five million guests a year would enjoy rides based on smash hits such as 'Jurassic Park' and 'King Kong'.
But, just as a major Hollywood picture can be hamstrung by financial troubles, the credit crunch halted development of the park and - despite breaking ground in 2008 towards a planned completion date of 2010 - drive out on the Dubai to Al Ain road and to the casual observer the evidence of the project today is the proud but premature Universal Studios entrance opening out onto an empty desert lot.
Now with tourism and trade in Dubai emerging from the financial crisis, experts in the theme park and entertainment business have said it's time to get major projects back on track.
Dubai Holding, the driving force behind the Universal Studios plan, has reset the completion timetable to 2012, but this deadline is highly ambitious according to Joe Gibbons, consultant at Leisure Consultants in Dubai which previously worked at Emaar and helped establish Sega Republic in Dubai Mall.
"I think right now we would all be real happy with a project coming back online. Dubai needs it badly," said Gibbons, said talking to 7DAYS on the sidelines of the Dubai Entertainment Amusement and Leisure (DEAL) conference. He added that "2012 would be difficult" for Universal Studios developers to achieve.
With no new megamall expected in Dubai anytime soon the family entertainment centre (FEC) segment of the entertainment market has become crowded and competitive, dominated by big names such as Sega Republic and Mall of the Emirates' Magic Planet. A big-name theme park is needed in Dubai to drive the business forward, says Gibbons.
"The FEC market is really strong here... but we need that big-hitter that can do 20,000 to 30,000 people on a big day on the weekend such as Universal Studios or a Six Flags."
Gibbons also added his weight to calls from leaders in the Dubai entertainments business to form a committee that would help share best practices, inform regulations and spearhead accurate market research. It is argued this would help bring the UAE industry more in line with developed markets.
Gibbons said: "What they are talking about is the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions and they help safety guidelines, merchandising guidelines, operations guidelines - everything.
There are efforts to create that sort of an organisation here but it is difficult because the nature here is to hold information close to the chest... Let's hope it happens because it would help with things like research and safety."
Silvio Liedke, general manager at Landmark's Fun City, agrees: "I do feel over the next few years if we do not want to lose our modus operandi we must form an organisation where we can start to benchmark one another.
A lot of the performances of the individual chains are a mystery and the most common form of research is sticking your head in on one of your competitors and trying to gain some judgement." It may be going through a rapid but tumultuous evolution, but leaders say Dubai's entertainment and attractions market is outpacing more developed markets in terms of its sophistication.
Adam Steinberg, chairman and CEO of major entertainments solutions provider Embed International, said: "[Dubai] has really gone, in a short space of time, from a follower to leader.
For several years now, I would say that this market is the earlier adopter and the biggest adopter of technology. There is nowhere else in the world that takes up the technology... in this industry as rapidly as this market does."
Despite hot competition and a lack of proven big-name theme parks in Dubai, entertainment providers are still jostling to hop onboard.
Germany's HUSS Park Attractions is showcasing at DEAL, and was recently involved in Abu Dhabi's Ferrari World, supplying a number of non-coaster attractions including the G-Force Shot and Drop tower, which is the centrepiece of the big indoor area.
Michael Hesse, the firm's vice president and director of sales, is ready to strap in for the ride as the entertainment business in the Middle East looks to pick up speed.
"The Middle East is a market for the future, with strong development in the tourism and entertainment industries. This is true despite the recent financial crisis.
Dubai is still at the forefront of visions and development plans, which makes it so interesting."
© 7Days 2011
