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Dick Weiss

Looking back at Dubai

   DUBAI– When FIBA awarded its U17 men’s  World championship to this Gulf States country, it was the first time a major age group basketball event of global significance was held outside Europe and gave participating teams and the fans who showed up for the competition the opportunity to experience this oil fueled, “City of Gold” that is located on the Southwest Coast of the Arabian Gulf and has risen out of the desert’s sandy haze.

    The hundred luxury hotels in the Business Bay Center, along the Dubai Marina and Jumeriah Beach next to the Abrabian Peninsula have created almost a surreal atmosphere in this city of 1.7 million that is second largest emarite in the United Arab Emirates. They are part of the ongong construction that is taking place 24/7 in an effort to create modern architectural marvels and the biggest and best attractions in hopes of drawing more 50 million tourists a year from all over the world by 2020 when the World Expo– a high tech version of the World’s Fair– takes place here. 
    Dubai is the most expensive city in the Middle East and the most Westernized thinking of all the Islamic republics with best human rights policies for women.

    It is a city that tries to make a sensational first impression. Dubai has the tallest building– the Burj Kalifa– which houses the Armani hotel and rises 162 floors into the stratosphere, almost twice the size of New  York City’s Empire state building, It also has the longest Metro system– 75 kilometers; the tallest hotel– the 72-story J.W. Marriott Marquis downtown and biggest mall– the,250-store Mall of Dubai, with its giant aquarium located on the first place along with an ice rink. The Burj Al Arab– a seven star hotel whose lobby it so tall, it would fit the Statue of Liberty has a dramatic design that mimics the sail of a ship and floats on a man made island that has become iconic symbol of Dubai’s boom years. Suites start at 5,480 AED (approximately $1,600 a night American) and come complete with a personalized butler. Nice to visit but a little too high for my blood. The Emirates Mall has an inside ski park with temperatures of -8 C and five ski runs and there Palm Island, another man made island that is the home of Atlantis Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Park in new Dubai with its multi-million dollar Beverly Hills-like villas and the blue water, the the privately owned World islands, which are only accessible by boat.. There is also the Gold Souq, the Spice Soup and the Perfume Souq tin Bur Dubai o explore.

    Although the first mention of Dubai was in 1050 A.D., this is a relatively new city and most of the transition from a modest desert settlement to a growing metropolis took place  within the past 40 years. Thre is luxury construction everywhere.  The city was the vision of the current ruler, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Vice President and Prime Minister of the U.A.E., and member of the Supreme Council of the Union (SCU).  
     The best time to visit Dubai is in the winter. When I arrived it was August and temperatures were 110-115 degree during the day time with little or no breeze in the dry heat.
     I was there to cover the age group basketball tournament for Blue Star media, I rented a car but returned it after three days when I discovered navigating the roads is difficult with or without a GPS. The Metro can get you close to the smaller venues for the preliminary rounds at the Al Ahli and Al Shabab Sporting Clubs in the Northern neighborhood of Diera close to the current Airport. The quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals were played at the Hamden Sports Complex, 15,000 seat converted natatorium located in the middle of the desert, some 30 kilometers from downtown.
     The cost of taxi service is relatively cheap because the cost of gas is low, i was able to split a cab ride with Walt Perrin, a scout for the Utah Jazz, to the arena for $67 UAE dirhams, which is roughly $25 dollars in American currency. But getting a cab back to the hotel can be problematic and we hitched a ride on the officials’ bus to a hotel in the northern part of the city, then took a cab back.
     Everything else in this country can be relatively expensive– a decent meal is a good restaurant can run upwards to $600 UAE dirhams lor $200 dollars. The official religion of Dubai is Islam and there are mosques located every 300 meters so the people can have access to prayer. Services are held Friday, the start of a two day weekend.
     Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world. Although alcohol is served in five star hotels, there is zero tolerance for drugs and long prison sentences for offenders.
      No trip to Dubai is complete without a desert safari, a four hour trip onto the Sheikh’s massive desert conversation property 40 minutes from the city and comes complete with four wheel drives on sand dunes, a view of the wife life a camel ride, a falcon show, an Arabian torch light feast under the stars and a belly dancer to get a feel for the culture. The trip to the 124th floor observatory at the Burj Kalifa, with its majestic views, is also a must see as is a visit to the Sky View Bar on the 27th floor of the opulent Burj Arabe, which billed itself as the msot luxury hotel in the world.
       This was my first trip to the Middle East. I went with my wife Joanie, who is more adventurous and made sure I didn’t spend all my time in the gym or the hotel room. the guest relations staff at our Westernized hotel was sensational and the food was very good. In my six days here, I had a difficult time adjusting to the eight hour time change. I guess I need to take some pointers from Mike Flynn, the constantly on the go owner of Blue Star media who was kind enough to fund this trip so we could continue our streak of covering every USA Basketball men”s international event since the U19 World championships last summer in Prague.
       Dubai is an ever changing landscape.
     Construction is currently underway for Dubailand, an area of 107 sq miles that will include 45 “mega projects” and 200 sub projects located near the new Marktoum International Airport that will open in 2017. Dubailand is divided into six zones (worlds): Attractions and Experience World, Sports and Outdoor World, Eco-Tourism World, Themed Leisure and Vacation World, Retail and Entertainment World, and Downtown. It will be twice the size of Walt Disney World Resort and and will be the largest collection of theme parks in the world. the Sahara Kingdom, theme park, situated in the Attractions & Experience World, will cover 460,000 m2 (4,951,399 sq ft) and will combine high end virtual and physical theme park rides, attractions such as a state of the art gaming zone, IMAX theater, and integrated live and virtual entertainment shows, together with a retail zone, four hotels and residential accommodations. The theme of the development is traditional Arabian folklore and the tales of “One thousand and One Nights.” Accommodations in that area should not be hard to find since there are plans to build an additional 450 hotels.

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Dick Weiss is a sportswriter and columnist who has covered college football and college and professional basketball for the Philadelphia Daily News and the New York Daily News. He has received the Curt Gowdy Award from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and is a member of the national Sportswriters Hall of Fame. He has also co-written several books with Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Dick Vitale and authored a tribute book on Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

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