[foonlesse]

The Palm Islands are sinking by 5mm per year. A Dutch company called Fugro investigated and came out to this conclusion.

To many people this was forseen. Something like this, building a dream paradise from money cannot be held up if there is no income. Houses and otherreal estate is hard to sell.

Dubai is in depth, big depth. And all the artificial islands in sea will be taken back by the water if nothing happens.


Dubai is saying the Dutch company is wrong. But what do you want if you lose more than 2.5 billion a year. The black clouds of recession hits even the "fantasy" world.

http://www.propertycommunity.com/for...-research.html

http://business.maktoob.com/20090000...nk/Article.htm

The company FUGRO.
http://www.fugro.com/corporate/about.asp

[AffipgyncDync]

Dubai is in debt, big debt.

fixed for ya for reference... although, it was a wonderful play on words if that is what you were doing.

Oh, yeah, Dubai is fuct/.

[ropinirole]

Dubai attracts crap salesmen and get rich quick merchants. A couple of tossers I went to school with went out there to try and make their fortune. Mainly because they are a bit thick and can't see that an artificial economy can't be sustained by continually building more. There is basically nothing there for tourists apart from hotels.

[VardyCodarexyz]

Dubai is a giant failure built on a fake economy. It looks pretty on the surface, but much like the programs I write if you look at the inner workings you'll wonder how the hell it hasn't falled apart already.

I say give it 5 years.

[DioraMoostebeers]

Dubai attracts crap salesmen and get rich quick merchants. A couple of tossers I went to school with went out there to try and make their fortune. Mainly because they are a bit thick and can't see that an artificial economy can't be sustained by continually building more. There is basically nothing there for tourists apart from hotels.

Qatar is doing quite well though,it had a growth rate of 10 % this year but the difference is they haven't gone silly on the western front (although Doha is very westernized) but I suppose once the oil (or should I say gas reserves) has gone they too will collapse, but they are diversifying

Ive been to Qatar several times and I actually love the place

I don't like Dubai much.

[Riprincattiva]

Dubai is a giant failure built on a fake economy. It looks pretty on the surface, but much like the programs I write if you look at the inner workings you'll wonder how the hell it hasn't falled apart already.

I say give it 5 years.

The worrying thing is it's not all that much different than the US. Banks lent money without restraint or due diligence because they believed the underlying assets could only ever continue to rise and rise in value.

[Hammaduersnes]

Dubai attracts crap salesmen and get rich quick merchants. A couple of tossers I went to school with went out there to try and make their fortune. Mainly because they are a bit thick and can't see that an artificial economy can't be sustained by continually building more. There is basically nothing there for tourists apart from hotels.

The same can be said for many popular tourist destinations, Las Vegas especially. My wife and I love LV (we got married there), but lets face it.. the only thing in that desert is the hotels. If you didn't have the resorts, no one would go. You just need to create an environment where people want to go... and lets face it, that is NOT the middle east right now.

[ropinirole]

The same can be said for many popular tourist destinations, Las Vegas especially. My wife and I love LV (we got married there), but lets face it.. the only thing in that desert is the hotels. If you didn't have the resorts, no one would go. You just need to create an environment where people want to go... and lets face it, that is NOT the middle east right now.

There are shows, casinos, bars and loads of other activities in Vegas. I know they are nothing cultured but they do give people a reason to go there...fun. In dubai (and I haven't been myself so the people I know who have been may have got it wrong) there is apparently nothing apart from the same shops we have here and hotel rooms.

[sPncEjF7]

And when oil prices go to $200 a barrel, Dubai will rise out of the ocean once again. [rolleyes]

2010-2019, the decade that oil went past $200 a barrel...

[Thunderzee]

In a way it deserves to go under because of the slave labour, which is completely outrageous.

[DioraMoostebeers]

There are shows, casinos, bars and loads of other activities in Vegas. I know they are nothing cultured but they do give people a reason to go there...fun. In dubai (and I haven't been myself so the people I know who have been may have got it wrong) there is apparently nothing apart from the same shops we have here and hotel rooms.

yup that's right,really boring nothing to do apart from loaf on a white beach in beautiful sunshine then have a Thai massage or loafing in your 5 star +, crystal chandelier'd marbled ceiling and floored faux gold cladded hotel room,then popping down to the restaurant and being treated like royalty and eating like one, then after luncheon popping out to the old side of town to explore the spice,gold,textile souks..go back to your hotel for evening drinks and enjoyment of the entertainment,then get up the next morning go for a nice dune buggy ride before your champagne picnic in a desert oasis,then quickly whip back to your hotel get changed then pop back out to one of the many ex patriot clubs in the town.

oh yeah, and watch the red bull Air races when its on, or the Powerboat championships (which is also held in qatar)

yeah boring ( I bet these same people keep going though)

shops are the same though. (that's why you go to the SOUKS very good for electricals)

[staisacic]

No suprise there. They are made of sandmostly. Even Japans airport island that is mostly rock is sinking too.

[Jwskwhdo]

In a way it deserves to go under because of the slave labour, which is completely outrageous.

I agree. I thought it was a cool project at first but then I read about that and it just broke apart.

[arreskslarlig]

Damn... Just today I had a plan to build my own 200 acre island 15 miles off the coast of california.

[G8whlTAe]

Damn... Just today I had a plan to build my own 200 acre island 15 miles off the coast of california.

I had the same idea, but Catalina got pissed.

[tofRobbroolve]

Island(s) sinking or sea levels rising? Both I expect.
TBH, I think anyone who's building near the coast and expecting a long term investment is fooling themselves - build it and flog it off, if anything!

[Doctor-CTAC]

I guess Australia is sinking aswell?

[ropinirole]

yup that's right,really boring nothing to do apart from loaf on a white beach in beautiful sunshine then have a Thai massage or loafing in your 5 star +, crystal chandelier'd marbled ceiling and floored faux gold cladded hotel room,then popping down to the restaurant and being treated like royalty and eating like one, then after luncheon popping out to the old side of town to explore the spice,gold,textile souks..go back to your hotel for evening drinks and enjoyment of the entertainment,then get up the next morning go for a nice dune buggy ride before your champagne picnic in a desert oasis,then quickly whip back to your hotel get changed then pop back out to one of the many ex patriot clubs in the town.

oh yeah, and watch the red bull Air races when its on, or the Powerboat championships (which is also held in qatar)

yeah boring ( I bet these same people keep going though)

shops are the same though. (that's why you go to the SOUKS very good for electricals)

My point was not that it's boring, but that it's not profitable and the whole place is like a giant ponzi scheme.

[DioraMoostebeers]

My point was not that it's boring, but that it's not profitable and the whole place is like a giant ponzi scheme.

There is basically nothing there for tourists apart from hotels. there is apparently nothing apart from the same shops we have here and hotel rooms. so i misread your posts again yes?

I am fully aware that you have heard that there's **** all to do there second hand from colleagues..

[tofRobbroolve]

so i misread your posts again yes?

I am fully aware that you have heard that there's **** all to do there second hand from colleagues..

I think he means that there doesn't seem to be a point in all the building - except to build?
It may be a wonderful place, full of things to do, but what does it actually produce?