DUBAI—The planned opening Monday of the Burj Dubai, the world's tallest skyscraper, could mark a turning point in Dubai's fortunes and those of its ruler after a year that saw both come under intense scrutiny.
Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the city-state's 60-year-old hereditary leader, hopes the building and its surrounding $20 billion development will help enhance his reputation among international investors and restore Dubai's allure as a business hub.
The building stands at just over 2,625 feet. Developer Emaar Properties won't disclose the tower's final height ahead of the opening, although most estimates put it at 2,684 feet, far taller than Taiwan's Taipei 101, which had been the world's tallest skyscraper at 1,670 feet.
"Crises come and go," Mohamed Alabbar, the company's chairman said at a media event ahead of the opening of Burj Dubai Monday evening. "We must have hope and optimism and we must move on. I hope that this is the beginning of the gradual move forward."
Leading analysts expect the project will boost Emaar's revenue by almost $1 billion in the first quarter as homes and offices in the skyscraper are delivered.
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