By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter

Doha Festival City will be home to world class and unique entertainment attractions that will cater to the growing demand for leisure, amusement and recreational activities in the region.

Of the total 433,000sqm area occupied by the QR6.5bn project, the Entertainment Zone will sit on a 38,000sqm lot that would include a family entertainment complex, dining and food court outlets, and 4D cinema complex.

“We are not just building a large retail mall, but a creative hub where people can come together. It is more than just a building, it should have a soul,” said Kareem Shamma, CEO of Bawabat Al-Shamal Real Estate Company WLL (Basrec) – the owner and developer of Doha Festival City. He was speaking at the media roundtable discussion held at The Gate Mall.

First on the list is ‘Juniverse,’ a space themed family “edutainment” park that provides a state-of-the-art educational role-playing experience for children.

Juniverse integrates the latest technology into the experience through a number of channels and systems. These include a currency and stock exchange, a digital assistant, helper robots called Junibots and badges that reward achievement.

Second is ‘Virtuocity,’ which comprises a 200-seat e-Sport gaming arena, console lounges, and bespoke motorsport and aviation simulators.

Promising an “immersive digital experience,” the video games’ interactive attractions pit players and teams to compete in a hi-tech environment that is set to break new ground in the gaming arena.

“We want to create much more entertaining attractions that will provide people with experiences they will not see elsewhere,” said Dominic Mulroy, business development director of ADabisc Future Qatar, which is the creator and franchisor of Juniverse and Virtuocity.

Saying that many theme parks in various parts of the world seemed to have become redundant, he noted that the Doha Festival City project will bring exceptional and engaging activities for all.

Another attraction will be the ‘Snow Park,’ soon to be Qatar’s first indoor snow experience which will offer thrilling rides within a visually stunning environment.

The park will include a wide range of slides, sledding and snow play activities for all ages. It is the first in the region to include advanced snow production technology, which creates snow that is virtually identical to snow in its natural form.

World-renowned ‘Angry Birds Activity Park’ will be the fourth attraction at the complex. Visitors can play with popular Angry Birds characters as they journey the new theme park.

It will feature more than 35 world-class rides and attractions, and is set to be the number one destination for family fun in Doha. Now the fourth largest licensing brand behind Disney, Hello Kitty and Star Wars, Angry Birds will be releasing a $80mn animated feature through Sony Pictures in 2016.

Each project has been carefully conceptualised to target different age groups in a bid to collectively offer a wholesome family experience, according to Shamma.

“With its new and unique concepts, the entertainment zone will be the ideal destination for visitors of all ages seeking adventure, leisure and recreational activities all year long,” he said.

The Basrec CEO added that they will also build an 8,000-capacity car park area with an efficient vehicle management system.

Asked if they will charge a fee for the parking, he pointed out that they will try to make it free for all.

Luay Darwish, managing director at ADabisc, said that these unique concepts for the most advanced family entertainment complex in the Middle East are in line with the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030, launched by Qatar Tourism Authority.

The project is one of the largest mixed-used developments in the Middle East located in the north of Doha. It is expected to be completed in September 2016.

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