Nakheel brings Cirque du Soleil to Dubai
Nakheel, one of the world's largest privately held developers, is bringing the world famous Cirque du Soleil to Dubai after announcing a major partnership to develop a permanent show on The Palm Jumeirah.
Nakheel and Cirque du Soleil will jointly design and build a 1,800-seat theatre on The Palm Jumeirah that will be home to the first ever Cirque resident show to be staged outside of the USA and Japan. The two companies have signed an initial 15-year deal with the new show expected to open during the last quarter of 2010.
In the near future, Cirque Du Soleil and Nakheel will announce the creative team and theme for the completely original show which is being custom produced for The Palm Jumeirah with original music, theatre design, and costumes.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Nakheel Executive Chairman, said:
«Nakheel has already developed a reputation for being innovative, bold and visionary through its iconic landmark developments, but the true test of these developments will be the attractions and facilities that are actually offered to residents and visitors. It's well documented that we have already brought a number of big names to The Palm Jumeirah, such as Trump and Atlantis, but Cirque du Soleil offers a total unique attraction.
«Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and as with any city experiencing such a rapid growth curve, major cultural and civic facilities are required for a city establishing itself as a global 21st century destination. As the home of more than 30 five star hotels and 14,000 hotel rooms, The Palm Jumeirah was the natural choice to locate Cirque du Soleil and is not only a great coup for Nakheel, but the whole of Dubai.»
The partnership has been established following the enormous success of the Cirque du Soleil touring show Quidam, which visited Dubai in January 2007. The show, sponsored by The Palm and presented in the state-of-the-art Grand Chapiteau (Big Top) at Nakheel's Ibn Battuta Mall, was Cirque du Soleil's first ever season in the Middle East and was seen by more than 100,000 people, making it the most successful single entertainment project ever to be staged in the region.
Daniel Lamarre, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cirque du Soleil, said:
«Cirque is always looking for new markets for permanent shows, but it's not easy to find the perfect combination of visitor traffic, hotel accommodation, transportation links, modern facilities and area attractions. We are very confident that The Palm Jumeirah offers Cirque all of the components we need, and we are delighted to announce the signing of a 15-year contract with Nakheel today.
«The Quidam touring production to Dubai at the start of the year was a first for both parties. Cirque had never been to the area before, and Dubai had never experienced an entertainment project on this scale. Neither Cirque nor presenting sponsor The Palm could predict the outcome, but after 100,000 visitors attended the show, the partnership negotiations began in earnest.»
The deal is part Nakheel's long-term strategy to bring world class cultural entertainment to Dubai and its developments and this commitment has been expressed in setting aside a strategic piece of real estate on The Palm Jumeirah for the permanent theatre. In addition to the many attractions that will also be available on The Palm Jumeirah, Cirque du Soleil will add a completely unique family and cultural entertainment experience and a further reason for tourists to visit Dubai.
Chris O'Donnell, Nakheel CEO, added:
«A permanent Cirque du Soleil will reaffirm The Palm Jumeirah as the premier tourist destination in the region and is further proof that Dubai is fast becoming a key hub and a global player in the entertainment arena.
«Permanent Cirque Du Soleil shows in Las Vegas have always been major draws in attracting tourists from all over the world with shows such a «0» playing host to more than 6 million visitors in just 8 years. I have no doubt that a completely original show, in a brand new purpose-built venue on The Palm Jumeirah, will capture the imagination of everyone in Dubai and the ever growing tourist population who visit from all over the world.»
Discussions are currently ongoing between Nakheel and Cirque du Soleil to establish the exact location on The Palm Jumeirah; however, this will be a key central location and will be easily accessible by the island's transportation networks, including The Palm Monorail.
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