 Poster: A snowHead
|
The major 400m snowdome planned for Dubai for some years now seems to be proceeding to reality. It's scheduled to open late next year. Here are some visuals of what's to be built (these links are to the excellent theboarder.co.uk site):
Overall perspective......Interior......Side view
Here's their news story on the project. The snowmaking consultants are the British company Acer Snowmec, which pioneered high-quality indoor snowmaking at their Telford building 15 years ago and put the snow into Castleford and Milton Keynes.
Here's the Acer Snowmec story on the Dubai building. The unusual aspects are the kink on the way down, and the planned landscape features to get away from the 'snow in a shed' feel that tends to predominate with indoor snow.
Acer Snowmec's original Telford building had a nice row of pine trees inside it, which were laden with powder snow when I visited the place in 1989. It was magic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Wow!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
yes wow
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Very impressive!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
There's something intrinsically unsavoury about the notion of building a billion dollar skiing facility in the middle of a desert, on the fringes of a continent ravaged by Aids, in a world with an ever-widening poverty gap, and with growing concerns about the potentially disastrous effects of climate change.
Well that's my thought for the day - I'll shut up now. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
PG, friends want us to go to Dubai in November, can't say I'm keen, rather get some skiing in. Cheaper too-easyjet flights now from Newcastle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Helen Beaumont, your friends will surely understand and enthuse that you'd like to see:
a The magnificent Dubai snowdome, a year later.
b Easyjet flights to Dubai.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Helen Beaumont, having lived in Dubai for a while I can tell you the weather in November will be superb if you decide to go. But for most visits, I'd recommend it as a stopover destination on the way to/from India, the Far East or Oz. 3 or 4 days stay is enough for most people unless you are addicted to shopping malls, watersports or golf. The Rugby 7s is 1-3 Dec this year. The end of Ramadan will be mid Nov this year so the place will be very busy then for a few days.
BTW it needn't be expensive for a package deal. Check the quality Sundays. Stopovers can be virtually free. Dubai has little going for it by way of oil or natural resources and is targetting tourism big time - with price ranges to match all pockets.
PG, generally I'm with you on your 'thought for the day'. If it's any consolation the additional impact of this feature compared with all the other things they are building will be minimal. The next major project in Dubai is the world's tallest tower - by a substantial margin. I think it will be around 700m. Or have a look at the Palm Islands There are actually 2 of these - just to provide additional coastline and beaches. Compare it with Jebel Ali port which was the largest construction project in the world when it was built. Do hope they've done the hydrographic studies properly. The Gulf is a sensitive environment. The satellite image is almost the entire city state by the way - it is not a big Emirate. So another mega project under way offshore the world islands
Last edited by After all it is free  on Sun 18-07-04 10:34; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
More about the Dubai snowdome from a previous thread. (The link in this old one no longer works).
3rd largest indoor ski/boarding slope in the world so well worth a visit when it opens - - - - if you are going that way.
BTW, flights to Abu Dhabi can be much cheaper than to Dubai and it's only approx 1 hour in a taxi between them. Charter cheapy airlines go into Sharjah airport and that is only ~15kms from Dubai city centre. No problems with visas for most nationalities. Stay in Sharjah at your peril - it's a dry state - no grog. Hotels in Abu Dhabi & Dubai are licensed. But alcoholic drinks are not cheap and you can't buy booze in the supermarkets. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kuwait_ian, only going for long weekend. if we go at all. Not sure I want to go and leave teens alons and be that far away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Helen Beaumont, OK. It would be a great break if you do go. Some sun after a UK autumn.
FYI and anyone else interested, it's approx. 7 hours flying time direct non-stop from UK. Emirates are excellent and you could use Manchester or Birmingham. BA OK long haul. If you were to transit en route (in Europe or Bahrain or Doha) you could probably pull the price down using Air France, Al Italia, Gulf Air or Qatar Airways. But it takes longer. Not really so viable for a w/end trip. Perhaps DG has the right idea - save it for next year when the new snow dome will be open.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
kuwait_ian, Are you involved with the project at all? I was sontacted to see if I was interested in working there, but I said "no, but if you need a consultant..." they want a min 1 year contract for ski teachers, and I can see problems keeping skiers away from the mountains for that long. Of course I assume they'll be paying shedloads. I can see problems with the female skiers - how is it in Dubai? Are we allowed to drive, wear normal clothes? All the photos from the racecourse only show men!
I think it's an interesting project (notwithstanding PG's quite valid comments), but can see many problems; not least being that the person recruiting ski teachers is a "lifestyle consultant" who's never skied!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
easiski, I have no involvement at all. Just passing on info. I build High Voltage Substations. Not snowdomes. Lived in Dubai for 3 years. Answering your questions .........
Women can drive, normal European summer dress is fine in public, there is even a topless (ladies only) beach. If you are blonde and wear short shorts and a very skimpy top you might be taken for a member of the world's oldest profession (these days staffed in DXB by Russians, Georgians & Chinese).
The Horse Racing is like Ascot - loads of well dressed women. The reason you don't see them in photos is they are mostly clutching glasses of champers and altho the event floats on booze, they don't like to flash it around the Arab world. White dish-dasher dressed men with head scarves being less likely to upset the Mullahs. The only thing you can't do at the Races is bet - but with a mobile phone and an account at a bookies that's not a problem these days. Similarly the Rugby Sevens event is now International Standard and has 20,000 + expats on the p**s for 3 days, never any trouble, and a major rock concert afterwards. But it's not widely known outside rugby circles to avoid upsetting the Saudis. Dubai is a very cosmopolitan city with loads of single women happily living and working there. Not all are air hostesses.
I think the new venture might struggle to get enough participants in the early period and it sounds as though their staff recruitment could use some help. To work, it is going to need some top quality people on the snow to get the local kids into it. It will need regular sliders and skiers not just tourists. In the same way that the local ice rinks have ice hockey teams and trainee dancers as a background business. You could potentially end up being much more than an indoor ski school bunny. The Boss. Especially if you learned Arabic. But I suspect unfortunately you'd really end up horribly bored. Arabs are kind of nocturnal so the working hours could be interesting ? They'll need a multi-lingual team of instructors. If there's no penalty for breaking the contract, give it a go when it opens (Sept 2005) and if it doesn't work out, you can leave in time to get back to LDA for the 05/06 season.
One caveat - the climate from April - Oct is horribly hot and humid. Outdoor activities other than watersports or very early morning golf (9 holes from a buggy - nobody walks) are virtually impossible. The winter weather is excellent - like a Mediterranean summer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Hot off the press....
After lengthy deliberation, a name for the complex has finally been decided. Clearly of vital importance to the future promotion of the complex, as explained by this spokesman...
| Quote: |
'Choosing a name for the snow park is an integral part of the brand development; our goal was to select a brand name which is simple, memorable and catchy while still capturing the essence of the resort,' says Peter Walichnowski, CEO, MAF Investments, 'The name, combined with the technological innovations being utilised, will position both Mall of the Emirates and Dubai firmly at the forefront of indoor winter sport facilities and snow playgrounds, in the Middle East and the world over.' |
So, what innovative branding has been decided, at long last?
Ski Dubai  
AME Info article
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
I want a job like that, ie one that gets you lots of money and then you can come up with something in the pub in the half hour before you have to publish your answer!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
does that mean no boarders? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
kuwait_ian, i work for a company if dubai based architects. We produced the Dubai creek golf club and marina, the royal mirage residence and spa jebel ali hotel and many more projects. I have been over there to work a few times. My job is to produce visuals for the projects we do. It surprises me in no way that they are building an indoor slope there at all. Some of the weird and totally unfeasable projects we have been asked to do is ludicrous. It seems that the various people with the powers and cash (mention no names) are all trying to outdo each other with there various projects in both architectural style and scale, and unfortunately over the last 3 or 4 years dubai has turned into a circus/disneyland and is quickly losing it's own cultural identity. Gone are the days of people going there to see the soukes, and dhow boats along the creek, and the days of grand scale themed hotels were the rich stay and don't leave the htel grounds, have arrived.
We as a company have worked on the "world islands" project and infact i worked on the inital concept visuals over 2 years ago. It's ridiculous
As for Palm Island the ruler came to us with his idea and we turned him down due to many problems we can see for the near future with regards to tide lines and stagnant water between the fronds, and i certainly can't see the it staying nice and green/blue/clear between them for very long! We shall see
RANT OVER!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
Dubai, I have heard, has the worlds first seven star hotel! And you have to pay a fee to get a guided tour of the hotel!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
hibernia, not sure just how valid that classification is - after all, I believe that it was self-awarded!
_________________
SNOWeSCAPE - Luxury 8* self-catering accommodation in Bourg St Maurice
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
hibernia, to keep out the riff raff, when it first opened there was certainly an 'admission fee' of 200 Dirhams ( ~ £30 ) but it was refundable against food or beverage. Not sure if they still impose it. Every 'room' is in fact a two-storey suite c/w jaccuzzi, video on demand and loads of other stuff. There is an undersea restaurant where the fish watch you eat !! It's certainly a bit more than 5*.
Chris Downey, totally agree with you. The Kenny Everett school of design is ruling there now.
PG, like the new Sig.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I met a couple of Dubai who were skiing last year in Whistler. They said it gets so humid in summer in Dubai that they have to use their car wind screen wipers when they have the aircon going because the humidity is so great outside.
Needless to say I don't imagine a snowdome in Dubai is very eco-friendly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
