What is the deal with Dubai?

[Deleted member 4644]

Anyone know much about Dubai? Ever visited? Is it legal to own/buy land there? This article isnt clear: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai

But it sounds like an interesting place

 

[Ns1]

from the specials in the travel channel/modern marvels, it looks like the richest place on earth

i mean christ, they built islands shaped like palm trees!

 

[Mo0o]

I think it's quite legal... providing you can pay for it

 

[raystorm]

Looks like a gorgeous city when I saw it on Globetrekkers.

 

[Deleted member 4644]

Not to turn this into a P&N thread, but I wish more Arab nations would follow their lead...

 

[Agnostos Insania]

Originally posted by: LordSegan
Not to turn this into a P&N thread, but I wish more Arab nations would follow their lead...

That's something I never understood. I'd figure the radicals would hate a "Western" city in their own homelands to the point of terrorism, but who knows...

 

[fs5]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
from the specials in the travel channel/modern marvels, it looks like the richest place on earth

i mean christ, they built islands shaped like palm trees!

actually shaped like the world.
http://www.theworld.ae/

 

[z0mb13]

Originally posted by: fs5

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
from the specials in the travel channel/modern marvels, it looks like the richest place on earth

i mean christ, they built islands shaped like palm trees!

actually shaped like the world.
http://www.theworld.ae/

I think they are making one shaped like a palm tree as well

damn so much money there... mostly from oil of course

 

[BrokenVisage]

I know they're big on horse racing.

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: LordSegan
Not to turn this into a P&N thread, but I wish more Arab nations would follow their lead...

I agree, but it's too late IMO LordSegan!

 

[ManSnake]

Originally posted by: fs5

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
from the specials in the travel channel/modern marvels, it looks like the richest place on earth

i mean christ, they built islands shaped like palm trees!

actually shaped like the world.
http://www.theworld.ae/

The World is their latest project.

There are currently 3 palm islands in construction. Jumeirah is scheduled to open (liveable) in 2006

Palm islands

 

[Aimster]

Originally posted by: LordSegan
Not to turn this into a P&N thread, but I wish more Arab nations would follow their lead...

This is why UAE > All other Arab nations

They don't act barbaric. They have some crazy rules but when it comes to Westerners.. they are very friendly and respect their views.

You can walk in Dubai wearing shorts or a bikini. I'd love to see you try that in Saudi Arabia.

 

[QurazyQuisp]

They're building it now knowing that oil won't be around forever, so they want to be a business center when the oil does run out. Where as all the other arab countries will be pretty much flat broke.

 

[Aimster]

I think Michael Jackson moved there

 

[yhelothar]

Follow their lead? They became so big because the monarch ruler there is the owner of all the oil on the country, and thus has billions of dollars to spend building these structures.
This resort is the result of the land's natural resources. It's like a country filled with gold. They didn't work to get all the money, they found it.
Other countries most likely cannot follow Dubai's lead as they can't just go out and find that much money either.

 

[Mo0o]

Didn't they also just finish an underwater hotel?

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Aimster
I think Michael Jackson moved there

Nope he didn't. I forgot where he moved to, but it's not dubai.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

MJ went to Bahrain, which is still part of the UAE.

Dubai is a beautiful city and its filled with foreigners. I've yet to go, but I have close family & friends there...so hopefully I will visit them soon. Lots of cool things to do and places to see.

The reason why it is such a prospering city state is because a) the governing royal family/leaders recognize that oil cannot provide permanent income to hte country so they are building up tourism and international business markets b) the governing royal family (leaders) actually care about the city and its citizens and want to provide them with a good life.

If the leaders themselves are rich beyond anyone's imagination, they won't be so focused on getting richer but rather maintaining their wealth and power which means keeping their citizens happy & content and providing for an constuctive infrastructure that supports expansion.

 

[sygyzy]

What makes you say the governing family cares about the people? All these things they are building are for-profit businesses. They are not city parks for the citizens or YMCA's. And the citizens don't get to stay at the resorts for free.

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: sygyzy
What makes you say the governing family cares about the people? All these things they are building are for-profit businesses. They are not city parks for the citizens or YMCA's. And the citizens don't get to stay at the resorts for free.

It's a business. Do you know any countries that allow citizens to stay in resorts for free?

 

[sygyzy]

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: sygyzy
What makes you say the governing family cares about the people? All these things they are building are for-profit businesses. They are not city parks for the citizens or YMCA's. And the citizens don't get to stay at the resorts for free.

It's a business. Do you know any countries that allow citizens to stay in resorts for free?

Go ahead and re-read what I wrote. I am asking why the previous member said that the govt cares about the people.

 

[Aimster]

George Mason University in VA

is building a campus in Dubai

They are slowly moving away from oil.

 

[z0mb13]

Originally posted by: sygyzy

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: sygyzy
What makes you say the governing family cares about the people? All these things they are building are for-profit businesses. They are not city parks for the citizens or YMCA's. And the citizens don't get to stay at the resorts for free.

It's a business. Do you know any countries that allow citizens to stay in resorts for free?

Go ahead and re-read what I wrote. I am asking why the previous member said that the govt cares about the people.

giving freebies doesnt mean the gov cares about the people, in fact that might hurt the people in the long run. Creating businesses is how good gov works, not giving freebies

 

[codeyf]

There are some crazy projects out in the ME.

The firm I work for was is the doing marina design and construction architecture for The Pearl in Qatar. It's a 2.5 billion dollar man-made island offshore of Doha.

 

[MrsBugi]

We have a friend from Dubai who's trying to convince us to move and live there. Apparently it's a pretty extravagent place with no taxes (income or otherwise), we're going to visit within the next year.