Dubai Property News
College football could be coming to Dubai
Dubai could stage a major US college football 'bowl' in the future, sources have suggested.Some of the less established teams in the North American country are keen to take some of the limelight away from the larger 'Power Five' conferences and a new finale could be the answer.ESPN reports that nine locations have been earmarked for a possible college football extravaganza, four of which are outside the US. As well as Dubai, football chiefs are also considering taking the sport to Dublin, Toronto and Nassau in the Bahamas.Ken Hoffman, chairman and executive director of the Little Caesars Bowl, told the sports news broadcaster that he has been talking to some of the smaller conferences about possibly adding a new bowl in a foreign country.Meanwhile, another source was quoted as saying: “The smaller 'Group of Five' conferences are exploring adding bowl games because they are being locked out by the big boys.”They're looking to create bowl games so their teams will have bowls for their bowl-eligible teams.”American football is becoming increasingly popular all around the world and the annual Superbowl – which features the two best teams in the National Football League (NFL) – is one of the most watched televised sporting occasions on the planet.In fact, some high-profile games have been staged in different countries in recent years and have pulled in sell-out crowds, most notably at London's Wembley Stadium.Although college football is not on the same level as NFL, it is still extremely well supported and is starting to attract more interest from outside the US.Some critics believe there are already too many bowls held each year, but moving one of college football's showpiece events to the Middle East could be a masterstroke.Dubai has already demonstrated the fact it is more than capable of hosting top-class sporting events, with major golf and tennis competitions taking place in the city each year. Rumours have also been circulating that the emirate could stage a high-profile boxing match later this year. Continue reading
Emirates launches new flights to Japan
Japanese investors who hold assets in the UAE will find it much easier to travel between the two countries after Dubai-based airline Emirates added new flights to Tokyo International Airport (Haneda). Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ executive vice president of passenger sales worldwide, said the firm first started providing services to the Far East in 2002 when it established a route between Dubai and Osaka. He insisted that relations between the two nations have blossomed since then. In fact, figures provided by Japan External Trade Organisation confirmed that traders in the two countries completed deals worth $53.1 billion (£9.43 billion) in 2012, which was a 5.4 per cent upturn on the previous year. Mr Antinori described Haneda as Emirates’ “third gateway” into Japan and is confident that demand for passenger and cargo services is high enough to justify laying on another daily flight. “We value our partnership with Tokyo International Airport; it is one that helps to connect two global hubs of development and growth – Japan and the UAE. We know that Haneda will play an integral role in our route network and the launch of services demonstrates Emirates’ commitment to Japan,” he remarked. By adding this new service, Emirates SkyCargo – the firm’s freight transport division – will be able to carry an additional 23 tonnes of goods per flight, which equates to an extra 160 tonnes each week. Emirates now operates services to 134 destinations in 77 countries from Dubai and plans are in place to increase this in the near future. The business has already underlined its commitment to the European market and new flights to Stockholm in Sweden will be launched in September 2013. Australia is another important destination for Emirates and the firm revealed last month that Brisbane would be the third city in the country to accommodate its double-decker A380 aircraft. With so many new flights being added, it is no surprise that experts are predicting Dubai International Airport will become the world’s busiest aviation hub within the next few years. Continue reading
Jean-Claude Van Damme to film new movie in Dubai
Parts of a new movie featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme are set to be filmed in the UAE, it has been confirmed. The Belgian actor – otherwise known as the “Muscles from Brussels” – will appear in Luxury Meets Justice, 7Days reports. Van Damme is currently in the Middle East looking for possible places to shoot scenes for the $10 million (£6.4 million) flick, although parts of the picture will also be captured in Shanghai, Ibiza, New York, Hong Kong and Saint Tropez. Fashion TV owner Michel Adam has known Van Damme for 30 years and suggested that his nightclub – Dubai-based Studio F – would be one location used in the film. He also offered an insight into what the movie is all about and – as you would expect from a Van Damme picture – there will be no shortage of action. “In the movie, we’re trying to get rid of all the bankers who pretend they’re big shots and destroy all our money. We don’t need these guys around,” Mr Adam was quoted as saying. He stated that Dubai has a lot of wealthy people who hold high-powered jobs, so it makes sense for the emirate to feature heavily throughout the movie. Filming is expected to start in October and a premiere will be held in spring 2014. Van Damme has had a glittering career on both sides of the camera and Dubai tourism chiefs will no doubt be delighted to welcome the star to the city. The 52-year-old is a martial arts specialist and this has helped him land a number of memorable roles over the years. His first appearance on screen came in the 1984 flick Monaco Forever and he has since gone on to star in hit films including Double Impact and Universal Soldier. Dubai already has a reputation for being a playground for the rich and famous and films like Luxury Meets Justice will certainly help to raise its profile even further. Continue reading
