Emaar to soon announce general contractor for Burj Dubai

"We are into a complex but transparent bidding process and the final decision on the appointment of the general contractor is not expected for a few months," said A.J. Jaganathan, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Properties.

"We would like to clarify to our stakeholders on the recent media comment about one of the bidders apparently claiming that the contract to build the Burj Dubai has been agreed. Given the transparency of our decisions, we are very happy to respond to any queries in this regard. Emaar also announced that Binladin Contracting Group does not have any role to play in the Burj Dubai tower.

"We look for the highest global standards. The Burj Dubai belongs not just to Dubai. It is an icon for humankind across the globe. That is why those associated with the prestigious Burj Dubai have to understand the global dimensions of Emaar's iconic building. And that is precisely why we have the world's best designers, architects and construction managers like SOM and Turner working with us. Our very strict guidelines, quality standards and the processes towards these global quality standards are now benchmarks for several real estate developers in the world," he said.

Turner Construction has turned heads for more than 100 years with its projects and have built about 20 per cent of tall towers worldwide. The company that built Mobiloil and Prudential towers in Chicago, Equitable Life Assurance and Americas' Tower in New York, and most recently, Taipei Financial Centre, is ranked among the leading general builders in the US.

"The Burj Dubai is very important for Turner Construction. We are presently meticulously evaluating bidders who will be working with us on the project because the Burj Dubai is not just Dubai's landmark, but also a beacon for the whole world, said Mr. Nicholas Billotti, CEO of Turner Construction International, New York.

SOM is responsible for America's tallest building, the 4.6 million square foot, 109-story Sears Tower in Chicago, Lever House in New York City, the 100-storey, 2.8 million square-foot John Hancock Tower in Chicago; and the 1 million square-foot Bank of America World Headquarters in San Francisco.

"I'm delighted with the Burj Dubai and its architecture. It is going to be a stunning building in Dubai for the whole world and I'm pleased to be associated with it. I can say that conceptualising the Burj Dubai was a real challenge," said Adrian Smith of SOM, who have completed more than 10,000 architecture, engineering, interior architecture, and planning projects in over 50 countries around the world.

Emaar is creating a truly international landmark with the Burj Dubai Development, the city within a city, which will create Dubai's new elegant downtown area. The 500-acre Development will comprise the Burj Dubai, the Dubai Mall, the world's largest shopping and entertainment complex, an Old Town, Office Park and a residential complex.