Sport and fitness fanatics have a new playground in Dubai — and it’s huge. The Danube Sports World, near Al Habtoor City, spans an area of more than 100,000 square feet, making it the largest of its kind in the region. It is set to open by November 26. The temperature-controlled sports centre, housed under a dome, is built and run by the Danube Group, a multibillion-dirham conglomerate known in the building materials business. Inside, visitors can book a range of facilities, including four cricket playing fields, four Fifa-certified indoor football pitches, nine padel tennis courts, six badminton courts, two squash courts, two beach tennis courts and multipurpose basketball and volleyball courts. Rizwan Sajan, the chairman and founder of Danube Group, said existing indoor sports venues don't meet "a big demand for such facilities". Other features of the massive space include a parking area that can accommodate 150 vehicles, lockers and changing room facilities, provisions for cameras to live-stream matches, a first-aid clinic and a cafe. Players can order from the cafe through QR codes, and their food and drinks will be delivered to them in their courts. The idea to build the sports facility came from Adel Sajan, the UAE conglomerate's managing director, who said: "This is going to be the most popular go-to sporting and recreational centre in the UAE where consumers are now trying to mix sports and recreational facilities as part of their socialising process. "Sports is gaining popularity in the UAE and GCC as a medium of socialising and healthy activity and this trend is going to grow as a global phenomenon." Bookings can be made through the Danube Sports World mobile application. Fees start from Dh85 per hour.
