Al Ain of the future?

Just thought I would have a look around to see if I could find anything else about the developments proposed for Al Ain apart from Noor Al Ain.

There is Al Nagfa Hotel and Mall which I have mentioned previously (construction should be interesting for those in Al Oyoun Village next door). From the pictures it looks like they may be getting rid of part of the hill that extends to the road on either side. It is being done by Sorouh but there is nothing on their site as yet that I can find, the link to the Gulf News article gives you a good idea.

Second is the Al Ain Masterplan which looks like it may get the go ahead. It is meant to position Al Ain as a viable alternative to Abu Dhabi and Dubai and would house an extra 115,000 people. Also would be a nice commute to Dubai if the traffic there doesn’t get any better (and with an extra 2.5 million potential residents in Dubailand alone, why would it).

Lastly is the Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort development. I can’t remember if it is supposed to be located in the existing “old” zoo complex or not though. I must say this is my favorite one by far.

I was a bit skeptical of the proposed developments when I first heard them mentioned. After reading about them though, I think I can appreciate the fact that there is a need to move Al Ain into the 21st century while trying to maintain its character. While culturally and historically Al Ain is of great significance to Emiratis, it would be sad to see it change into a place to only spend the weekends and if the new developments breathe further life into the city, that is a good thing.