Dubai-UAE: 24 April, 2013 - Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) and Emirates airline, today signed an agreement whereby Emirates will invest in developing five residential towers spanning an area of 21,500 sq. meters within Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated free zone technology park, as accommodation for its cabin crew. 

Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Vice Chairman & CEO, Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, and Ali Mubarak Al Soori, Emirates Executive Vice President - Chairman's Office, Facilities/Projects Management and Non-Aircraft Purchasing and Logistics, inked the agreement at a signing ceremony held at DSOA headquarters in the presence of officials from both organizations.

Under the agreement, Emirates will build the five towers across five assigned plots of land, adding residential capacity to the existing 570 Semmer Villas at DSO for airline captains leased since 2005. The towers will each comprise 25 floors and 669 three-bedroom apartments, plus an additional six four-bedroom apartments adding a total of one million sq feet of residential area. The new project will also feature three floors for parking and three retail units over an area of 11,737 sq. feet in each of the towers.

Commenting on this agreement, Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, said: "Our partnership with Emirates goes back to the time when we first inaugurated DSO. Our agreement reaffirms our solid relationship with the airline, which is set to develop five upscale residential towers at the high tech park. The partnership also confirms Emirates confidence in DSO's reputation as an integrated community that offers services, facilities and activities to residents looking for the perfect place to live, as well as companies operating in various technology sectors."

Ali Mubarak Al Soori said: "We share a distinguished cooperation with Dubai Silicon Oasis, which is regarded a destination of choice in the Emirate for its advanced infrastructure, services and facilities to make for an elegant lifestyle. We are keen to build upon the synergy we share with DSO and continue to look at developing residential towers that provide our Cabin Crew with an ideal housing environment."

Construction is set to begin in the third quarter of 2013 and the completed residences will accommodate approximately 2,000 of Emirates Cabin Crew team. Emirates, one of the world fastest-growing airlines is looking to recruit 2,700 Cabin Crew members in this fiscal year to support the growing fleet of aircraft and destinations world-wide.

A wholly-owned entity of the government of Dubai, DSO operates as a free zone technology park for semiconductors, microelectronics and other electronics-based companies looking to set up their regional headquarters and research and development divisions in Dubai.

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About Emirates:
Emirates (www.emirates.com) is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world and has received more than 500 international awards for excellence.  Emirates flies to 132 destinations in 77 countries across six continents. Emirates operates 200 wide-body Airbus and Boeing aircraft and has orders for an additional 198 aircraft, worth over USD$71 billion.

About Dubai Silicon Oasis:
Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), a 100% owned entity by the Government of Dubai is a free zone, strategically placed on the Emirates road. DSOA's urban master-planned community spans 7.2 square kilometres of state of the art office towers, R&D and industrial zones, educational institutions, luxury apartments, villas, hotels, healthcare and a full range of lifestyle facilities which translate into a dynamic commercial and social environment. Businesses can flourish under the unrivalled package of incentives, including 100% ownership, and high end IT infrastructure that allows companies to begin operating immediately.

For more information, visit www.dso.ae |Follow DSO on Twitter at@dsoftz.

© Press Release 2013