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Al Khalifa Sports Complex
Doha, Qatar
Al Khalifa Sports Complex, Doha, Qatar
Various
Expected to be completed December, 2006
The tiny independent emirate on the Arabian Peninsula is building one of the biggest sports complexes in the world. As it prepares to host this year's Asian Games, to be held in December, the petro-rich nation has invested a reported $2.8 billion in renovating existing sites and building some 30 state-of-the-art facilities for the 20,000 athletes who will compete in 35 different events.
The centerpiece of the games is the Al Khalifa Sports Complex, which will house the 50,000-seat Al Khalifa International Sports Stadium and the athletics, aquatics, gymnastics, hockey, and martial arts events. North and west of Doha, a number of venues for shooting, football, basketball, biking, badminton, and equestrian events are being constructed. By the end of 2006, Qatar will boast a new aquatics center and nine multi-sports clubs.
The development is impressive for more than the number of projects. In November, the Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence, a sports-training facility, completed construction of what is the world's largest indoor sports dome. The 290,000-square-meter roof encompasses a full-size football field, Olympic-size swimming and diving pools, a gymnastics hall, a 200-meter athletics track, a sports games hall, 13 table-tennis courts, three contact sports mats, eight fencing strips and two squash courts.