Universal's Dubai park will be mostly air conditioned

Does that include midways?

Astroworld had outdoor air conditioning when it opened 40 years ago, didn't it? Kinda puts a cork in the "world's first" claim...

Bet that is efficient.

Reminds me of the outdoor restaurant in front of the Paris casino on the Vegas strip. I remember my first time walking past there and thinking about how absurd it was.

Well what's really absurd is how much oil we consume allowing enabling them to do such things.

Jeff said:
...thinking about how absurd it was.

Yeah, but that's why Dubai is getting so much attention. They're building the absurd just because they can. That's the point - look what we can do.

I think that kind of spirit is exactly what America has lost over the years. Las Vegas is probably one of the last places where things are over the top just for the sake of being over the top.

Dubai is also moving FAST to diversify their economy - and tourism is going to play a HUGE part in that. Remember that they are *almost* out of oil, certainly in comparison to their neighbors, so they need to develop some sources of non-petroleum-based income...yesterday. (Dubai Ports World would have ben a major integration in the US economy at least).

Isn't that the great irony? The region of the world that understands the most that it's a finite resource is also where you can find the most.

Lord Gonchar said:

Jeff said:
...thinking about how absurd it was.

Yeah, but that's why Dubai is getting so much attention. They're building the absurd just because they can. That's the point - look what we can do.

I think that kind of spirit is exactly what America has lost over the years. Las Vegas is probably one of the last places where things are over the top just for the sake of being over the top.

I couldn't agree more.

When I saw the pics of their indoor Snow Skiing complex, the first thing i thought was: "Why don't we have that????"