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Iraqi Kurdistan reaches for the stars
10.3.2010
By Tanya Goudsouzian in Sulaimaniyah
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March 10, 2010
SULAIMANIYAH,
Kurdistan region 'Iraq', — A dusty small city in
Kurdistan region in Iraq's north is primed to be the
home of the war-torn country’s tallest and most
luxurious hotel. Rising 1,040 meters above sea
level, the 39-story concrete structure has already
been touted as Iraqi Kurdistan’s answer to Dubai’s
trademark seven-star Burj Al Arab Hotel.
Residents
of Sulaimaniyah, some 300km north of Baghdad, have
already dubbed it “Burj Sulaimaniyah”, even though
the owner has announced that it will be “The Grand
Millennium Sulaimaniyah”, affiliated with the
high-end UK franchise.
Construction work on the soaring tower, which does
bear a striking resemblance to Dubai's 'Burj' and
will offer a spectacular vista of the city, began in
June 2006. It was originally slated for completion
by summer of 2010, but the deadline was pushed back
by a year due to unforeseen logistical snags.
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The Grand Millennium Sulaimaniyah Hotel, Kurdistan
region of Iraq |
The relatively secure Iraqi Kurdistan region is
still considered a war zone, explains the project
manager, Amer Jawad. It has been challenging to
bring in the foreign expertise required to meet the
lofty standards and specifications, he says. The
hotel, designed by an Abu Dhabi-based architecture
firm, will boast five executive floors,www.ekurd.netone
revolving restaurant and two swimming pools, indoor
and outdoor. Finding qualified skilled labor was
also an issue, says Jawad, adding that much of the
workers had to be brought in from Baghdad or the
subcontinent.
None of these challenges have thwarted the ambitions
of Farouq Mala Mustafa, chairman of Farouk Holding
Group and owner of telecom giant Asia Cell,
which is the second
biggest employer after the regional government with
an 8,000-strong staff. He also owns two cement
factories, several other hotels, and a medium-cost
housing complex called ‘The Goyzha Project’ on the
outskirts of the city.
Tanya Goudsouzian,
freelance journalist.
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