Even though Pitt and Joile did not buy Ethiopia, Shaheen confessed that Nakheel has been giving tours to celebrities that are interested in exploring the man-made islands. "We often host celebrities at the Nakheel sales centre who are keen to see what we are creating with their own eyes, but I'm afraid I couldn't possibly divulge any names," she said.
Nakheel hopes the Palm Jumeirah island will become one of the world's premier resorts. It offers villas, apartments and beachfront townhouses; residents can choose from the 2,000 villas and 2,500 apartments in a variety of styles and surroundings.
"The Palm Jumeirah was always going to attract worldwide attention due to its sheer innovation and concept; however, having David Beckham and 12 other members of the England World Cup squad own villas on the Palm Jumeirah has certainly drawn press attention in the UK and raised further awareness of the development. The same goes in India for Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who owns one of our signature villas on the island," said Shaheen.
During the 2002 World Cup it was rumoured that Beckham, Michael Owen and nine other members of the England squad had received hefty discounts, but the subsequent hype helped Palm Jumeirah to sell out, with more than a quarter of properties going to British buyers.
Michael Schumacher
Alternative Capital Invest (ACI), a UAE based real estate developer, has also recognised the power that celebrities have on the value of property and has been branding its projects with legendary sport champions, including Boris Becker, Michael Schumacher and Nikki Lauder.
"We have chosen to work with celebrity icons, not merely celebrities. Icons reflect an uncommon commitment to excellence that takes them to the top of the game and keeps them there. They set high goals and consistently achieve them," said an ACI spokesman.
ACI's projects include Michael Schumacher Business Avenue, which comprises 29 storeys and provides you with prestigious office space in Dubai's prime Business Bay area, The Boris Becker Tower and the Nikki Lauder twin skyscrapers.
"We have seven towers coming up in various parts of the UAE, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. At this stage it's a little too soon to reveal more." said the spokesman to AME Info.
Speaking about the tower carrying his name, Schumacher told AME Info: 'We had the idea some years ago and finally we found the right position and time to develop and construct it. Dubai is one of the fastest growing places in the world and you have to look where the demand is. ACI did a study and it's the right place to start.'
Yet sustaining the success of these projects is another issue that developers have to factor into their calculations, as the emirate is soon to be oversaturated with celebrity names on towers that perhaps might eventually lose their lustre. But for the time being most developers are confident that this is far from happening.
"The key to maintaining success is to deliver a product that is of value to people," said Dubai Sport city's Thorpe. And in the meantime Dubai is a star on its own.
"Dubai as a city is herself a celebrity that attracts headlines wherever she appears," said the ACI spokesman.
Amena Bakr, Senior Reporter
