Big names, more exclusive events and elevated food and beverage experiences are just some of the things to expect from Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi and the House of Sustainability in Dubai over the coming months.
That's the view of Jessica Koravos, the president of Oak View Group (OVG) International. The American company, which operates stadiums, arenas and other live-event venues across the world, has teamed up with Ethara, a local operator, to manage both spots under the name OVG Middle East. Based in Abu Dhabi, Ethara already manages several prime locations, like Etihad Arena and Yas Marina Circuit in the UAE capital.
“We're all about fantastic events and experiences being delivered to the people,” Koravos tells The National. Speaking about the joint venture, she explains that her team is working on the programming for both Zayed Sports City in the capital and the House of Sustainability (formerly UAE Pavilion) in Dubai Expo City to “elevate the venues to the next level”.
Developing a touring circuit
There been a lot of excitement about Zayed Sports City lately, aided by ticket sales for a record breaking four-days of performances by Coldplay. The demand was unprecedented and is described by Koravos as an “astonishing expansion” of the region's appetite for live events.
“The UAE, and the Middle East in general, is a crucial part of a global touring circuit in a way that it didn't used to be,” she says. “Previously, artists came to the UAE as a one-off. They would play in one venue and then would go.”
Koravos explains that creating venues that can accommodate these artists, often with big production requirements, is important if people want to see more big names perform in the region. “It's really just the beginning, and once you start to see these venues come to life, especially in other neighbouring countries such as Saudi Arabia, you start to have a little bit of a touring circuit,” she says.
“Artists will not have to come all the way to this part of the world for one show – maybe they can play two, three or four stadiums in Abu Dhabi, for example, and then two, three or four more stadiums in Saudi Arabia, which makes it worth it, similar to what happens in Europe.”
Premium experiences
At the moment, adds Koravos, it can be “too expensive for artists to get here, but we're seeing that change”. Four years on, and the aftermath of the pandemic still lingers in the live events space, according to David Powell, the chief strategy officer at Ethara.
“The dynamo effect of the pandemic on the appetite for live experiences cannot be underestimated,” he says. “Coming out of it, people now really value in-person experiences and moments that you just can't miss.”
But the venues, Powell explains, are what really “add to the experience”. This is a huge element of the partnership between OVG and Ethara, and that is going to be a major focus for the venues they will operate in the region.
“The experience starts when you leave your house, and it finishes when you get home. Anything that happens in between can make you decide to never do it again,” says Koravos.
Powell, who has worked on hosting the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Ethara over the years, says they have learnt so much by organising the high-traffic global event. Last year, for example, elevating its food and beverage offering was a big focus, with the event becoming somewhat of a culinary showcase, swapping the standard festival fare of burgers and pizzas with more high-end dishes expected to find in Michelin-rated venues.
Koravos echoes this, and says that food and beverage “is something that we're very focused on as a group, trying to create a really elevated hospitality experience for people”.
For both Zayed Sports City and the House of Sustainability, she says they want to create “something that you can't get anywhere else” in terms of dining.
“For example, Shaquille O'Neal owns a chain of restaurants in the US that serve the best chicken sandwich you will ever have in your life, called Big Chicken,” she says. “We've got a franchise of it in every one of our arenas in the US, and we've just put the first international Big Chicken branch in our arena in Manchester. We're hoping to persuade Shaq to maybe bring Big Chicken to Zayed Sports City.”
In terms of any further confirmation of how these plans will play out – which artists will be booked next and what an elevated culinary scene might look like – Koravos is keeping precise details under wraps, simply stating that “you've got to watch the space.”
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The five pillars of Islam
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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HIV on the rise in the region
A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
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