The following message (subject: Erbil copies Dubai with Ski-Dome) was posted by Erbil News, on 22/01/2010 05:19:18.

Erbil copies Dubai with Ski-Dome

By Mariwan Faydullah Salihi

Erbil - Capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, Erbil, will soon witness the construction of an indoor ski-slope, a version of an existing one in Dubai, and a Telefric, says a Kurdish businessman.

“I have plans to soon start the construction of Erbil Ski-Dome, an indoor ski-slope with all the amenities of a real ski resort,” informs Sherwan Hameed, 43, an entrepreneur based in the Kurdish capital, exclusively to Rudaw.

According to Hameed, who resided for 13 years in Germany and has both German and Iraqi nationalities, the project is the first of its kind in Kurdistan Region and Iraq and only the second in the Middle East after Dubai.

“Erbil Ski-Dome will be a copy…or a resemblance to Ski Dubai, a renowned indoor ski-slope and resort in the emirate of Dubai,” he mentions.

The businessman does not intend to give further detail about the Erbil project, but added that it will cost around US$ 50 million.

Situated in the largest city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai, Ski Dubai is located in one of the world’s largest shopping malls, ‘Mall of the Emirates.’

Opening its doors in 2007, world-famous Ski Dubai is annually attracting millions of visitors who are surprised to ‘see snow in the middle of the desert.’

First Iraq Telepherique in the heart of Kurdistan

Another unique project to be built by the same financer is a nearly one km long aerial cable-car connection, also popularly called ‘Telepherique,’ in the heart of Erbil.

“A more than 900 meters long Telepherique, also the first of its kind in Kurdistan and Iraq, will be built by me and inaugurated somewhere in April or the beginning of May, this year,” reveals Hameed for the first time to the media.

The Telepherique will connect two main parks in downtown Erbil, Shanidar and Minara, which are currently divided by a major road, through 30 cabins each for four people.

The equipments for the project are all imported from Germany, China and France, says the businessman.

“The ideas and the reasons for these projects, financed and initiated by me, is to beautify Kurdistan and to make the children of my country happy,” concludes the Kurdish-German millionaire.

Popular Hawler ice hall

The announcements of the projects come when Rudaw contacts the owner of Hawler Ice Hall (HIH), Sherwan Hameed, about expansion plans for the city’s only indoor ice-skating hall.

HIH, located inside the premises of Hawler Aqua Park, a sports and entertainment complex in down-town Erbil, is the first and only ice-skating hall in Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

Opened since June, 2009, the ice venue attracts hundreds and sometimes thousands of visitors each day, mention its employees.

“Most people come here during the hot summer months…especially Arab tourists from areas in Iraq outside Kurdistan,” says Aso Jaafar, 20, an employee at HIH.

Some tourists from the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, regard the ice-skating hall as a prime tourist attraction in Kurdistan.

“All of my friends at Baghdad University, who have visited the Hawler Ice Hall, told me that it is a nice place to visit. People from Baghdad enjoy this place and that’s why my family and I came here,” says an overexcited Lamya Mohammed, 22, a student from Baghdad University’s Engineering College.

Kurdish youth also enjoy skating at the ice hall, including a large number of girls.

“I come to play ice-skating at least twice a week,” tells Dania Abduljabar, 19, as she struggles to navigate herself on the ice without safety outfits.

Another girl, a student from the city of Sulaimaniyah, has been practicing the sport for nearly six months and wishes that Kurdish sport officials give more attention to winter sports.

“Kurdistan is a mountainous area where there’s a lot of snow-fall during the winter months. It’s logic to give more attention to sports related to snow,” comments Hanasa Kawa, 21.

One boy had high hopes. Ahmed Ismaeel, a 15-year-old high school student from Erbil, wishes to participate at the Winter Olympics one day, carrying the flags of both Kurdistan and Iraq.

“Hopefully a federation will be established for ice-skaters in Kurdistan and Iraq in the near future, so that we can participate in international sport events such as the Winter Olympic Games,” mentions Ismaeel.

Costing nearly US$ 2 million to build, the Hawler Ice Hall opens everyday from 9 a.m. till midnight.

One hour of ice-skating is charged 5000 Iraqi Dinar (less than US$ 4); for viewers to come inside the hall to watch people play ice-skating, 1000 Iraqi Dinar (less than US$ 1) is charged.

Currently, the capital of Kurdistan Region has only one ice-skating venue. More ‘ice halls’ are under-construction, including one at the gigantic shopping complex, Mega Mall, on the road to Salahaddin Resort

http://www.rudaw.net