The Meydan Hotel opened on March 4. The Meydan Hotel opened on March 4.

Dubai-based luxury hotel operator Jumeirah Group will cease to operate Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa and The Meydan Hotel from January 1, 2011.

Management of the hotels will be handed over to Meydan LCC, the owner of the two properties, HotelierMiddleEast.com can exclusively reveal.

A spokesperson for Jumeirah Group told Hotelier: “We can confirm that the day-to-day management of “The Meydan Hotel” and “Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa” will revert back to Meydan LLC as from 1 January 2011. Both companies will cooperate closely to facilitate a smooth transition period.”

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Jumeirah Group has operated the desert retreat Bab Al Shams since it opened on December 2, 2004, but management now hands back to the owner.

Abdin Nasralla, previously general manager of Bab Al Shams, took up the helm of Meydan LLC’s hospitality arm, Meydan Hotels & Hospitality, prior to the launch of trackside property The Meydan earlier this year.

The Meydan Hotel opened on March 4, 2010, ahead of the Dubai International Racing Carnival’s Super Thursday racemeeting and a concert by Sting.

Jumeirah was appointed as a service provider to assist in the opening and launch of The Meydan, which was previously expected to be run by Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts.

Banyan Tree initiated arbitration proceedings against Meydan LLC, Meydan Group LLC and Meydan City Corporation for various breaches of its Hotel Management Agreement for The Meydan in February 2010.


Meanwhile, on June 29, 2010, Meydan CEO and chairman of the board, Saeed Humaid Al Tayer, and Jumeirah Group executive chairman Gerald Lawless, announced they had signed a Letter of Understanding (LOU) with Jumeirah Group for the management of The Meydan.


Saeed Al Tayer is also the managing director of Al Tayer Motors LLC, a director of the Al Tayer Group of companies, board member of Dubai Media Incorporated and chairman of the Dubai Racing Club.