Dubai Conference Centre

The Dubai Conference Centre is a large mixed-use conference and events masterplan located in Al Jaddaf, on land facing Dubai Festival City. Announced in May 2016, the scheme is presented as a purpose-built cluster of conference facilities, hotels, offices, commercial frontage and parking, delivered by Dubai Municipality in partnership with Dubai Holding.

What this place is and where it sits

The development occupies an area of 55,000 square metres on the Al Jaddaf edge that looks towards Dubai Festival City. The scheme is conceived around a principal multi-purpose arena named Sheikh Rashid Hall and a Concourse Building that connects the main halls with adjoining hotels, offices and retail. The location places the complex within the established Al Jaddaf neighbourhood of Dubai, with a clear relationship to waterfront and nearby civic and residential districts.

Transport and distances

Public transport and pedestrian access are an integral part of the site’s positioning:

• Metro: Dubai Conference Centre is served by the Green Line, station code G30, with the nearest station approximately 217 metres from the site; this distance is walkable on foot.
• Road access: the masterplan is immediately accessible from local arterial roads that serve Al Jaddaf and link to neighbouring districts such as Dubai Festival City.

Local educational facilities referenced in source material include Swiss International Scientific School Dubai at 1.4 km and New Indian Model School Dubai at 2.2 km from the site; these distances indicate the centre’s proximity to established community infrastructure.

Masterplan, buildings and event facilities

The conceptual masterplan combines large-scale conference capacity with hospitality and office components. Key design and capacity figures provided in planning descriptions are:

• Site area: 55,000 sq m.
• Main arena: Sheikh Rashid Hall, designed to accommodate 10,000 people; the hall is described as being 30 metres high with an internal floor area of about 190,000 sq ft and arranged over three levels with theatre-style seating suitable for conferences, concerts and performances.
• Sub-halls: five multi-purpose subsidiary halls with a combined area of approximately 10,500 sq ft, each able to host up to 1,000 persons.
• Concourse Building: an air-conditioned glass boulevard linking conference halls to hotels and offices; described as approximately 25 metres high, 150 metres long, with a floor area near 50,000 sq ft and flanked by retail and food-and-beverage outlets.
• Hospitality and office towers: concept documents reference a 33-storey 3-star hotel, a 48-storey 4-star hotel and a 36-storey office building as part of the overall scheme.
• Parking: basement parking for around 1,800 cars is included within the proposed arrangement.

The project cost was indicated at AED 1.8 billion in the original announcement. Concept imagery and early design material have been published to illustrate the initial proposals; as with many large schemes, design revisions are possible through planning and delivery phases.

Who this location suits

Dubai Conference Centre is conceived primarily for large-scale event organisers, corporate conference operators, and cultural promoters needing arena-scale capacity in Dubai. The integration of hotels and offices within the same masterplan makes it relevant for hospitality investors, hotel operators seeking a conference-oriented asset, and corporate occupiers that require proximity to event space and associated retail and dining. The presence of substantial on-site parking and direct pedestrian links to hotels and retail also positions the scheme for mixed-use footfall on event and non-event days.

Practical notes and neighbouring amenities

Key practical points drawn from concept material include the project’s orientation towards Dubai Festival City and its siting within Al Jaddaf. The masterplan anticipates ground-level commercial units and a sheltered concourse that would provide retail and F&B options directly connected to the conference and hospitality elements. Educational institutions referenced close to the site provide context for day-to-day neighbourhood activity. Published project descriptions and imagery should be read as indicative of intent at the time of announcement; subsequent planning or construction stages may alter layouts, towers, capacities or finishes.

FAQ

What is Sheikh Rashid Hall?
Sheikh Rashid Hall is the primary arena within the masterplan, described in the project announcement as a 10,000-person capacity auditorium with three levels and approximately 190,000 sq ft of interior space, designed for conferences, concerts and theatrical events.

Who are the project developers?
The scheme was announced as a Dubai Municipality project developed in partnership with Dubai Holding.

How does the scheme connect to public transport?
The site is served by the Green Line metro (station code G30) at an approximate walking distance of 217 metres, and is linked to local road networks that serve Al Jaddaf and adjacent districts.

What support facilities are included?
Concept materials reference a Concourse Building with retail and dining frontages, two hotel towers (33-storey and 48-storey) and a 36-storey office tower, together with basement parking for around 1,800 vehicles; five sub-conference halls are also included in the drawings to support concurrent events and breakout sessions.

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