The Burj Dubai, the tallest tower in the world, will be completed in December, three months later than scheduled, according to two contractors involved with the project.
The contractors said work still needed to be completed outside and inside the building and the new deadline was December.
A person close to Emaar Properties, the company developing the Burj Dubai, dismissed previous reports that there would be a “soft opening” on Sept 9 to coincide with the launching of the first phase of Dubai Metro. The date was never confirmed by the company, the person said.
Emaar would not confirm the December opening, but said the building was scheduled to open this year.
“More details on the official launch will be provided in due course,” Emaar said.
Mohammed Alabbar, the chairman, said last June the project would be ready by September this year.
Emaar has been tight-lipped over the final height of the Burj, which is thought to have topped out earlier this year at 818 metres. Some reports have suggested the building could reach 888 metres.
Burj Dubai is part of the Dh73.4 billion (US$19.98bn) Downtown Burj Dubai development.
Emaar, the largest developer in the UAE, is also expected to be chosen to manage the development of what could be the next tallest tower in the world, the 1km Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia.
The skyscraper is part of the Dh98.06bn Kingdom City project in Jeddah.
Emaar said last month it was in final contract negotiations to manage the entire project.
agiuffrida@thenational.ae Angela Giuffrida www.thenational.ae
