Dubai Sports City awards construction contracts for ICC Global Cricket Academy, Manchester United Soccer Schools, WorldHockey Academy and Field Hockey Stadium

As a result of the contracts being awarded, the construction of two of the principal sports amenities, the Manchester United Soccer Schools facility and the ICC Global Cricket Academy along with other Academies area components has commenced.

The Academies area which is located in the south east corner of Dubai Sports City will also include the Field Hockey stadium, WorldHockey Academy, a rugby training facility, a 2,500 sq metre gymnasium, an Olympic length swimming pool, as well as the Bradenton Preparatory Academy. It will also house two hostels accommodating up to 524 people.

Transemirates Contracting is the principal contractor for the main Academies area and Eastern International has been named the main contractor for the Bradenton Preparatory Academy. The Bradenton Preparatory Academy is a sports certified school that will impart teaching according to the American Baccalaureate Curriculum.

Construction of the Academies area and the Bradenton Preparatory Academy is scheduled to be completed in April 2008. The combined total value of the contracts is 500 million dirhams.

Mr Yousef Al Mulla, Managing Director of Transemirates Contracting said,

"Dubai Sports City is one of the most exciting projects ever conceived. It will play a huge role in developing talented sportsmen and youth and we are very excited to have been chosen as the main contractor for the Academies. The academies are an essential component in the overall success of Dubai Sports City and it is thrilling that we will be able to contribute to this vital project."

Mr. Waleed Bukhatir, Director of Eastern International said, "The Bradenton Preparatory Academy is a world renowned name in the field of education and the academy at Dubai Sports city is the first to be built outside of its home state of Florida. The Bradenton Preparatory Academy provides students the flexibility to pursue academics while attending courses at the sports academies. It will play a pivotal part in contributing to the overall aims of Dubai Sports City of becoming a multi use destination. Bradenton is known for its exacting standards of excellence and it is therefore extremely gratifying to have been selected as the main contractor for the project."

Mr Khalid Al Zarooni, President of Dubai Sports City said at the signing, "I congratulate both Transemirates Contracting and Eastern International in being selected. We are demanding extremely high standards in everything we do to ensure that Dubai Sports City will be a centre of excellence in every conceivable way. Both firms demonstrated their own commitment to this drive for excellence and I have every confidence that they will deliver."

He continued: "The Academies area and educational components of Dubai Sports City are absolutely critical to the overall success of the venture. We are also working closely with various sports governing bodies in the design of the Academies area to ensure that global best practices are adopted and that all of the various academies fulfil the unbridled opportunity afforded by Dubai Sports City."