ONE of the world’s biggest and best-supported football clubs, Real Madrid, has revealed its ambitious plan for the world’s first ‘sportainment’ destination on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK).
Following an unveiling in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, HH Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qassimi, was joined by Real president, Florentino Perez, where the two leaders outlined more of their vision for the island and the role it will play in tourism development in RAK.
Sheikh Saqr said the 50-hectare resort, will be the flagship of the Al Marjan Development and aims to attract one million visitors a year when it is completed in January 2015.
Perez said that RAK had been chosen for the pioneering project due to the emirate’s location, equidistant between Europe and the Far East, home to half the estimated 300million fans and followers of the club.
“And because the government shared the vision, drive and ambition to work with the club in creating a unique concept of ‘Sportainment’,” he said. “The world of sports and Real Madrid again prove to have no boundaries and that football is a fantastic tool with which to bring together diverse nationalities and cultures. This team’s fans are passionate wherever they may be and never give up. Their dreams motivate us on a daily basis.”
The first recreational tourism complex built under the Real Madrid trademark will be a comprehensive sporting destination complete with luxury hotels, a marina and amusement park featuring the use of latest technologies such as hologram animations. It will also house a 10,000-seat stadium, the first in the world to open directly to the sea, as well as sports facilities, a club museum, shopping mall, private beaches and residential areas.
Perez added: ‘The project may be seen as unusual for a football club, but we feel this will set a trend across the industry as clubs try to find new ways to make money.”
Louis-Armand de Rougé, the CEO of RAK Marjan Island Football, the entity behind the project, added “It will also allow Real Madrid to accelerate its growth in Asian and Middle Eastern markets,” he said.
“The alignment of our interests and the quality of our dialogue with Real Madrid and the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has played a decisive role in the implementation of this unique concept. We are delighted to participate in this great project and we will work with passion to welcome the fans and their families at the Real Madrid Resort Island. It will truly be a dream island,” he added.