Phase 2 starts on Abu Dhabi's Volvo Ocean village

Construction has started on phase two of Abu Dhabi's Volvo Ocean Race Destination Village, officials have said.

The village, as big as eight football pitches, is taking shape on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche breakwater which will host the Volvo Ocean Race yachting fleet and thousands of fans in the New Year.

With site clearance complete, the task has begun of laying a staggering 873,000 paving stones over almost half the site. Stone laying is due for completion at the end of next month.

Work has also started on a month-long dredging programme of the surrounding waterways to allow entry of the 4.5 metre keeled state-of-the-art race yachts, as they arrive in the UAE capital after a gruelling 5,430 nautical mile race leg from Cape Town.

And a three-phase construction programme to build permanent yacht pontoons is also underway, with installation due to begin mid-August when off-site pre-fabrication is complete.

The pontoons will be a key component of the site, which will serve as a sailing centre once the Volvo Ocean Race fleet sails out of the UAE capital in mid-January.

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA)’s Nasser Al Reyami, director of Tourism Standards, said: “This facility will be a major infrastructure addition to Abu Dhabi’s watersports, and therefore tourism, offering. It will significantly enhance our credentials as a world-class winter watersports destination.”

Full infrastructure work is due for completion this September. Temporary structure build will run until December when the final phase of installing more than 130 Volvo Ocean Race team gear, hospitality and equipment containers will take place.

The ‘Destination Village’ will open free-of-charge to the public daily from December 30 to January 14 2012.

ADTA said it will be packed with activities and entertainment including exhibitions, shows, simulators, hospitality, game zones, food & beverage outlets and merchandise shops.

ADTA added that it is working with international tour operators, hotels, airlines and other stakeholders to develop compelling New Year-Volvo Ocean Race packages to the emirate.

The Volvo Ocean Race 2011/12 begins in Alicante, Spain, in October 2011 and ends in Galway, Ireland in summer next year. It is a race in which professional athletes, on-board the Volvo Open 70 racing yacht, sail around the world with the prevailing winds.