DUBAI, Aug 25, 2008 (AFP) - Tiger Woods unveiled Monday the master plan for The Tiger Woods Dubai, an exclusive residential golf community in the United Arab Emirates, encompassing the first golf course designed by him.
In his capacity as the chairman of Tiger Woods Design, the golf champion is cooperating with Tatweer -- a Dubai government-owned real estate enterprise, to build a 13 million square feet (1.2 million square meters) golf course, according to company statement.
Al-Ruwaya, the name given to the golf course, will be a 7,800 yard, par 72, 18 hole championship course, the statement said.
The Tiger Woods Dubai is being built on a 55 million square feet (5.1 million square meters) of desert land. It will feature a "state-of-the-art" golf academy, a luxury boutique hotel whose interiors will be designed by the famous Lebanese designer Elie Saab.
The project's luxury residences will include 22 palaces, 75 mansions and 100 villas. It is scheduled for completion in 2009.
The desert emirate which is vying to establish itself as a regional centre for tourism features several golf courses which host international tournaments, despite being extremely poor in water resources.
The Tiger Woods Dubai will be part of Dubailand -- an ambitious multi-billion-dollar development that is widely touted as the Middle East's very own Orlando, which is gradually emerging across the desert sands of the booming Gulf emirate.
The entire 24-project venture, not scheduled for completion before 2025, is estimated to cost 235 billion dirhams (64 billion dollars, 48 billion euros), 60 percent of which is expected to come from private investors.
bur-ak/ea08
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