Designing Future-Proof, World Class Stadiums to Propel the Middle East to the Forefront of Sporting Tourism

DOHA, Qatar, August 25, 2010 - Original, innovative, modern stadiums are being developed across GCC
nations at an unprecedented rate. Each new development will bring fresh ideas
and rapidly advancing technologies.
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Against the odds, it is evident that the Middle East is fast becoming an
unlikely hotspot for sports tourism, as it looks beyond oil to diversify its
economy. In the last two years we have seen sporting events such as the Dubai
World Golf Championship, the FIFA Club World Cup Abu Dhabi, the 19th Arabian
Gulf Cup and the IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships to name but a few
events in the region. The Arabian Gulf Cup having been run for over 30 years,
was originally a football tournament but within the last 6 years it has been
expanded to include other sports such as basketball, volleyball and handball,
and now features national teams from Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia,
Bahrain, UAE, Oman and Qatar.

For a region brimming with sporting potential and passion, the stakes are
now being pushed higher with Qatar putting out an impressive bid to host
the2022 FIFA world cup. Never before has the tournament been held by a Middle
Eastern Country and Qatar have undoubtedly pulled out all the stops with
their bid to be chosen as host country. With innovative designs being
presented, it is clear that contemporary stadium development now involves a
planning process far beyond thinking only about sports. There are now many
motives that stimulate architectural imagination with the consideration of
countless incentives and limitations. When discussing the direction of
cutting-edge stadium masterplans, Sven Schmedes, Managing Director of GPM
India commented that "the evolution of stadiums is only the beginning of a
revolution triggered by operational and media requirements. I strongly
believe that the next 12 years will result in a paradigm shift in stadium
design and operation".

Sven also commented that "the growth potential for sporting venues in the
Middle East is tremendous and the success of Dubai Sport City shows the
demand for state-of-the-art facilities." With this in mind, Sven advised that
the greatest challenge in the region at the moment is "to design
multi-purpose indoor sport venues with an integrated and sustainable strategy
for operation on a long-term basis".

Considering the ever-shifting concepts of cutting-edge, future-proof and
revolutionary stadium designs, it would seem that now is a crucial time to
keep up-to-date with leaders in the industry.

IQPC's Stadium and Venue Design and Development MENA will provide case
studies on innovative designs, consider the challenges in guaranteeing
sustainability and maintainability of venues and will present industry
insider techniques on ensuring the legacy of developments through
multi-functionality. Held in Doha, Qatar from the 7 to 10 November 2010, the
second of IQPC's successful stadium events will bring together international
key speakers to share best-practice methods of integrating local culture into
design and harmonising regulations and requirements of global sporting
associations to warrant the hosting of international events.

Stadium and Venue Design and Development MENA will be the region's
ultimate networking platform for the sporting venue design and development
industry and an opportunity to exchange best practices and practical
solutions that can be implemented to guarantee ROI and develop for the
future.

Attendees will benefit from four days of industry-leading presentations,
interactive panel sessions and exclusive workshops. Further details can be
obtained at www.stadiumandvenuesdesignme.com

About IQPC Middle East:

For over thirty years, IQPC has helped the world's leading corporations
solve their business challenges through the sharing of practical industry
solutions and global best practice. In the process, the company has built a
formidable reputation for quality and value. The world's most progressive
companies have benefited from IQPC's unrivalled global reach, which has
connected international expertise with regional and local leaders.

    For more information, please contact
    Eileen Espelita
    Marketing Manager
    IQPC Middle East
    +971-4-364-2975
    enquiry@iqpc.ae

For more information, please contact: Eileen Espelita, Marketing Manager, IQPC Middle East, +971-4-364-2975, enquiry at iqpc.ae