DUBAI // The dome over the lobby of the nearly completed Atlantis hotel which was damaged by fire last week will have to be replaced, the management said yesterday.
The blaze, which broke out in the roof structure while welding work was being carried out, sent smoke billowing over the Palm Jumeirah on Tuesday. Nearby residents said it looked as though the entire hotel was on fire.
Damage, however, was limited to the 43-metre wide dome which is an architectural feature and not part of the building's structural fabric.
As a result, the hotel is confident it can be replaced and remedial work completed in time to welcome its first guests on its Sept 24 opening.
"It was the dome on top of the lobby that caught fire and not the inside, which is intact," said a spokesman for Kerzner International, which manages the hotel. "We will have it fully replaced for the opening."
Alan Leibman, the president and managing director of Kerzner, was staying at the hotel when the fire broke out on Tuesday.
"Once the alarm was raised, we evacuated 230 staff and consultants safely and without harm from the hotel," the spokesman said.
He denied that the presidential suite was damaged, saying: "We walked through that part of the hotel and there is no damage at all. The hotel is in top shape. It's business as usual."
All preventive measures were in place at the five-star, 1,539-room hotel when the fire broke out early in the morning, he said. "Nobody was injured and it looked a lot worse than it actually was.
"The police are still investigating the cause and we are awaiting the official report."
Although the hotel is on schedule to take its first guests on Sept 24, the grand opening date has not been finalised. "We will have the grand opening in November but we do not have an actual date yet," the spokesman said.
He declined to comment on reports that Kylie Minogue, the Australian pop singer, will perform at the opening and rumours that David Beckham, the England footballer, will be staying at the hotel on the opening night.
The 46-hectare complex, modelled on a Kerzner project in the Bahamas, will include one of the largest man-made open-air marine habitats in the world and several water parks.
It has attracted criticism from conservationists, who complain that its star attractions, 28 captured bottlenose dolphins, should not have been exported from the Solomon Islands.
@Email:eharnan@thenational.ae
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
Tori Amos
Native Invader
Decca
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
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