Special Features
Meydan - A spectacular achievement
The longer-established races on the continent and in the U.S. may get more attention, but the Dubai World Cup, which takes place this year on a new $2 billion race complex, is where the money is.
While the horses always garner a lot of attention, the true star of the show this year may well be Meydan itself.
It’s absolutely amazing, like nothing else on earth. It’s huge, with a royal box modeled on that of Ascot, and everything has been done with high-class materials to high-class standards. The grandstand is 1.2 kilometers long and just seems to keep going and going.
The new racing facility, set to officially open on March 27 and built on the grounds of the former Nad Al Sheba track, includes two race tracks, a grandstand for 60,000 spectators, a 290-room hotel, a marina and a racing museum. Outside of the horse racing season, it’s set to be used as the emirate’s flagship entertaining venue as well as a business and conference facility.
