Big Stars Set to Descend on Atlantis Opening Ceremony

Article from The Khaleej Times Online

Big Stars Set to Descend on Atlantis Opening Ceremony

DUBAI - The much-anticipated, grand opening of Dubai’s most luxurious resort and newest icon, Atlantis — The Palm, this Thursday will see the red carpet roll out for some of the biggest names from the entertainment and sporting scenes.

Also, the Palm will be lit up in what would be the world’s largest fireworks display, marking the official launch of the landmark and its flagship resort.

American actors Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, basketball legend Michael Jordon, talk show host Oprah Winfrey, singers Janet Jackson, Lindsay Lohan and Lily Allen, rapper Jermaine Dupri, DJ Sam Ronson, Petra Nemcova, Gerry Butler, Nawal al Zoghbi and Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra are some of the big names who will descend on the star-studded evening.

Music legend, Kylie Minogue, will make her debut Middle East performance, alongside Middle-Eastern pop sensation, Nawal and Priyanka Chopra, at the exclusive event for over 2,000 guests from across the globe. Actor Tom Cruise, Charlize Theron, Naomi Campbell, model Agyness Deyn and Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat are also believed to be attending the opening.

The record-breaking fireworks display, designed and created by international pyrotechnics expert, Grucci, will be seven times larger than this year’s Olympic Games opening ceremony.

Fireworks will stretch across the full 520 kilometres of Palm Jumeirah, lighting up the entire island and the Atlantis resort, creating a display that will be made visible from space.

The display will be followed by an unprecedented illumination sequence introduced by Priyanka Chopra, as The Goddess of Atlantis.

The visual display will use the 200 metre-wide Royal Towers as a canvas to visualise the story of Atlantis, making it the world’s largest HD video projection on a standing surface.

The guests will dine on signature dishes prepared by Atlantis’ chefs Santi Santamaria, Michel Rostang, Giorgio Locatelli and celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa, before heading to the exclusive Royal Afterglow party with top US DJ, Samantha Ronson.

Atlantis, The Palm is a 1,539 room, ocean-themed destination resort located at the centre of the crescent of the man-made Palm Jumeirah. This $1.5 billion joint venture project was developed with Nakheel and opened its doors to guests in September.

A couple of weeks before the opening of the resort, a massive fire broke out in its lobby causing little damage to the external roof and lobby dome.

However, the incident did not mar the hotel’s opening date, which is right on schedule.

preeti@khaleejtimes.com

By toothless, I'm assuming you mean the necklace and not the person. Otherwise I might worry about you...well, more than I worry about you now already.

What's wrong with the tooth? I have two of them myself (necklaces, that is...not teeth). And no, I didn't go out and buy them because I saw Gerry's tooth...necklace. I already had them.

Maybe he's copying me.

No offense to Gerry, but I was wondering how he got invited to an event such as this. It turns out that, apparently and according to sources I've read, Law Abiding Citizen is being financed by a company owned by Sheikh Waleed Al Ibrahim (Film Department), who is also the head of MBC (who is in direct competition with Al Jazeera). The Sheik is also a major investor in Hollywood films, and could also very well be an investor in this resort.

It's all about connections.

Security is going to be TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT at this event. You need a pass to even get to and from your home if you live in the area, and from what I heard residents aren't allowed to even use the beach during the event.

And opening a luxury hotel in the middle of a war zone makes me scratch my head, too.

G was on vacation there in September, no?

Hmmmm.

And spending $20 million dollars to throw a party for 2000 people in the middle of a suffering world economy seems to me a bit...lavish. But I guess it's their money, they can spend it how they see fit.

Gerry had better be on his best behavior, though. A place such as Dubai won't be so accepting of public displays of affection, harsh language, and lewd gestures.

So Gerry, no flipping of the bird, snogging women in public or cursing out reporters. We don't want to have to bail your arse out of a foreign jail.

LOL, DK!!

He's going there to party, which he loves to do.

Just from my own perspective, the man LOVES to be at all the hip spots....LOVES his picture taken....LOVES beautiful women...the MORE, the better....LOVES going to all the movie premieres and parties as he's able....LOVES L.A.!!!

I don't know WHERE it says that he hates L.A....or doesn't like the Hollywood lifestyle.

His actions indicate otherwise. IMO, he loves to be with people.

Don't ever change, Gerry.

XO

Donna, you are right, Gerry will need to be careful..here in the UK we had the news of a couple (unmarried) who have been in jaoil for 3 months because they were making out in public....

Yep, it happened last July. A man and a woman met in Dubai, had a number of drinks, went to the beach and were arrested for having a "PDA" moment (in this case, sex). They ended up having a shotgun wedding to get the charges reduced, but they're still in jail. Once the time has been served, they are to be immediately deported. Here's just one of many stories about it:

Think twice before you have sex on a beach in Dubai

London, October 16 (ANI): A British couple were taken into custody and later sentenced to three months jail in Dubai after they were found guilty of having sex on a beach.

Vince Acors, 34, was holidaying when he met 36-year-old Michelle Palmer.

The pair was arrested on Jumeirah Beach hours after meeting at a champagne brunch at Dubai’’s five-star Le Meridien hotel.

A police official told the court that he had to arrest the duo after finding them having sex on a sun lounger despite his earlier warning against their inappropriate behaviour.

Palmer, who has lost her job as a publishing executive following the incident, claimed in a statement that they had been just kissing and hugging.

The couple, who denied the charges, was fined 160 pounds along with the order to serve three months in jail after which they would be deported.

Though they were out on bail, the pair was also ordered not to leave the country.

Their attorney revealed that they would make an appeal against the sentence and hopes the verdict would be overturned.

Senior prosecutor Faisal Abdelmalek Ahli said he was disappointed at the length of sentence.

“I”m not happy. It’’s very light. It’’s normal for a sentence to be six months to a year for an offence such as this,” BBC quoted him as speaking outside the court. (ANI)

Link to story here: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/think-twice-before-you-have-sex-on-a-beach-in-dubai_100107978.html

A shotgun wedding?? The sound of that kiss echoed around the world!

Where's Dallas with her Smith & Wesson when you need her?

Speaking of Dallas - where the hell is she - I haven't heard hide nor hair of her gun wielding arse.

I think what's worse than that three month sentence was having to get married! LOL!