January 5, 2010
The opening Monday of the world’s tallest skyscraper could mark a turning point in Dubai’s fortunes and those of its ruler after a year that saw both come under intense scrutiny.
Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the city-state’s 60-year-old hereditary leader, hopes the building and its surrounding $20 billion development will help enhance his reputation among international investors and restore Dubai’s allure as a business hub.
Sheikh Mohamed said that the tower, until now known as the Burj Dubai, will be renamed Burj Khalifa Bin Zayed after the president of the United Arab Emirates.
A multimedia presentation witnessed by thousands of onlookers at the base of the tower said the building was 828 meters, or 2717 feet, tall.
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“Crises come and go,” said Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of developer Emaar Properties, at a media event ahead of the opening of Burj Dubai Monday evening. “We must have hope and optimism and we must move on. I hope that this is the beginning of the gradual move forward.”
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