Construction of the Dh536 million Dubai International Con-vention Centre has been completed and furnishing will start soon.
The centre will host the joint annual meeting of the governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in September 2003.
Eng. Abdul Redha Abul Hassan, director of the Conven-tion Centre and head of the projects construction section at the General Projects Department of Dubai Municipality, noted that work at the office division and furnishing of halls at the centre would be completed by the end of July.
Main features of the centre that would enhance Dubai's profile as an international conferences and exhibitions venue are a multipurpose hall, concourse, multi-storey car parking facility, 14-storey office building, podium and two hotels.
The project includes upgrading of Hall 8 of the Dubai World Trade Centre, refurbishment of offices in halls five to seven as well as roads and landscaping that have been completed.
In addition, tenders have been invited for setting up a monument at the conference venue to commemorate Dubai 2003, which will be awarded within a few days.
The project was completed in a record time of 16 months, he added.
The building and its facilities would be marvels in architecture as well as modern technology. The multipurpose hall, which would be the main venue of Dubai 2003, has a seating capacity of 4,200 and which could be extended to 6,000.
"This would be the first convention centre in the Middle East which can accommodate up to 6,000 people," he added.
The hall could be used for events like conventions, sports, theatrical shows, exhibitions and weddings.
Movable partitions, which can divide the hall into 12 sections, are another feature of the facility.Seating is provided using a combination of retractable modules, some of which can be located around the hall, as well as floor-mounted seating.
There are 10 translation booths each capable of seating two translators and simultaneous translation would be received by delegates via wireless and infrared headsets. A control room for audio-visual settings and screens with rear projectors also have been provided.
Adjacent to the rear of the multipurpose hall and Hall 8 of the Dubai World Trade Centre is the multi-storey car park that can accommodate 1,500 cars in six floors.
From the first floor two pedestrian bridges will provide direct access to the car park. Lifts and escalators will take visitors to prayer rooms, the concourse ground floor and the basement parking area of the multi-purpose hall.
Access to the concourse would be from the car park, Al Wasl end and from the podium.
The podium courtyard is the main entrance to the office tower, with palm trees, water jets and a stone sculpture enriching its visual appeal.
The office tower will have a space of 35,000 square metres with glass curtain facade that matches the Novotel Hotel adjacent to it.
During Dubai 2003, more than 1,000 temporary offices would be available in the tower for countries. The second hotel in the facility will be managed by Ibis.
Dubai 2003 is expected to attract 20,000 participants, inclu-ding 4,200 delegates from member countries.
Gulf News
