Despite the economic downturn, Abu Dhabi has been financially prudent and its sovereign wealth fund is estimated at $328bn. According to Mark Goodchild, Exhibition Director of Cityscape Abu Dhabi, the sheer scale of projects continuing to take place in Abu Dhabi is remarkable by any international standard.

The top ten projects, as identified by the research company Proleads, are:

1. Khalifa City – $40bn. The biggest single project and will be the new capital city for Abu Dhabi. It is planned to comprise all federal ministries, local government offices and embassies, and expected to be completed in 2030.
2. Yas Island – $39bn. A mixed-use tourist development with its own Formula 1 racetrack. Will have a total developed area about one-third the size of Abu Dhabi island.
3. Saadiyat Island – $28bn. Offshore development which includes 29 hotels, three marinas, 8,000 residential villas and 38,000 apartments.
4. Burooj Properties’ $24bn community. Mixed-use project including 11 residential towers, offices, four hotels and a shopping mall.
5. Masdar City – $22bn. Economic development billed as the first zero-carbon, zero-waste city. Depends on solar energy and will be car-free.
6. Al-Raha Beach Complex – $18.5bn. Mixed-use hospitality development to house 120,000 people in 50 high-rise and a number of low-rise buildings.
7. Ghantoot Green City – $10bn. Will comprise commercial centres, hotels, offices, residential areas, warehousing and light industrial areas.
8. Al-Reem Island – $7.8bn. Mixed-use community with several 40 and 50-storey towers, and two 80-storey towers that will house a total of 80,000 people.
9. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed City – $6.5bn. 374 residential and commercial buildings, including infrastructure and entertainment facilities.
10. At joint number ten are Abu Dhabi Light Rail and MGM Grand Hotel – $3bn each. The rail project involves 350 km of rail. The MGM Grand Hotel will have more than 1,200 rooms and features a 12,000 seat arena.

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