Dubai’s $5 billion Moon sphere secures major global partner to turn vision into reality
It is a major update since the project was first announced in 2022.
The Moon Dubai project may have taken a giant leap towards becoming a reality following the latest appointment by Moon World Resorts Inc. (MWR).
Rider Levett Bucknall have been appointed as the program manager and cost consultant across all Moon Smart City Developments worldwide.
Moon Dubai was first announced back in September 2022.
The ambitious $5 billion project has been besieged by issues since the start, and it’s important to highlight the Moon Dubai development is still very much a concept as opposed to a confirmed construction project that has broken ground.
However, there is a renewed sense of optimism and hope that the appointment of RLB will now provide Moon World Resorts with the foundation and guidance needed to really drive these projects on a global basis.
RLB has a rock-solid track record of delivering landmark projects.
The Sydney Opera House, HSBC HQ in Hong Kong and London’s Olympic Games are just a few of the groundbreaking developments on its CV.
RLB has been tasked with the responsibility of overseeing Moon World Resort’s pre-development programmes through full delivery lifecycle of each Smart City Masterplan, thus safeguarding budget discipline and schedule certainty.
What is the latest on the Moon Dubai project?
There has been a lot of change in relation to this landmark project. The biggest one has been the location.
Since 2022, there has been a lot of back and forth, a lot of chopping and change.
Dubai Pearl was initially selected to be the location for the development, but earlier this summer reports circulated that Moon Resort World founders Michael R. Henderson and Sandra G. Matthews, believe Abu Dhabi may have more suitable land due to the sheer size and scale of the project.
What do we know about Moon Dubai?
The iconic moon project has no confirmed location in either Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
Construction has not started, and there is no government development agreement as of yet.
What has been confirmed in relation to the project is the following:
- Detailed concept and design.
- Appointment of an international design and consultant team.
- Developer is proactively seeking locations across the UAE.
If the project does finally get the green light from ground control then it would become one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world.
Moon World Resorts have said it would attract 10 million visitors every year and generate billions for the UAE’s economy.
Speaking on the appointment of RLB, Sandra G. Matthews, co-founder and president of Moon World Resorts, said the development of MOON’s scale and ambition demands a partner who can exert discipline while managing complexity.
“RLB have spent two centuries doing exactly this for some of the world’s most demanding projects. RLB’s expertise will provide our stakeholders and regional licensee partners with the necessary confidence MOON’s industry-defining goals will be matched by financial and operational rigor at every stage,” said Matthews.
Paul Brussow, president of RLB North America, said that projects of this scale require more than an ambitious vision.
“These projects require discipline, transparency and expertise to navigate complexity at every stage. RLB is excited to bring our global program management and cost consultancy capabilities to MOON, helping provide the structure, insight and confidence required to move from an extraordinary concept to successful delivery across markets around the world.
“We’re proud to support Moon World Resorts as it brings this unprecedented vision to life,” said Burrows.
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