What Is the Dubai Building Burj Al Arab and Who Owns It
The Dubai building Burj Al Arab is a 28-story luxury hotel on an artificial island near Jumeirah Beach, opened in 1999 and developed by the Dubai-based investment company Jumeirah Group, which operates under Dubai Holding. The structure is widely cited as one of the most expensive hotels ever built, with reported construction costs of about $1.5 billion at the time, and it remains a major symbol of Dubai's high-end tourism sector Forbes.
Ownership and management are tied to Dubai's sovereign investment ecosystem, with Jumeirah Group overseeing operations and major expansion and renovation projects coordinated through entities linked to the Dubai government's tourism and real estate strategy Forbes.
Design, Engineering, and Construction Details
The building was designed by British architect Tom Wright and his team at Atkins, with structural engineering led by firms including Atkins and the Seattle-based firm Buro Happold, while the main contractor was the UAE-based Al Habtoor Engineering and the project involved hundreds of subcontractors Buro Happold.
Construction began in 1994 and the hotel opened on December 1, 1999, with the structure rising 321 meters (1,053 feet), featuring a sail-shaped steel and glass facade, a helipad, and a foundation built on an artificial island constructed with over 70,000 cubic meters of concrete and hundreds of steel piles driven into the seabed Buro Happold.
Current Status, Use, and Visitor Access
As of the latest available public reports, the Burj Al Arab continues to operate as a luxury hotel and hospitality destination, offering suites, restaurants, and premium services, while also hosting high-profile events and attracting tourists seeking landmark experiences in Dubai Burj Al Arab official site.
Access is primarily through hotel stays, dining reservations, or curated experiences, with the property maintaining strict guest policies and high price points that reflect its positioning in the ultra-luxury segment of global hospitality Burj Al Arab official site.