Cirque du Soleil creating jobs

The creation of a purpose-built 1800-seat theatre on The Palm Jumeirah for Cirque du Soleil would start a new entertainment industry that didn't exist before in Dubai, Nakheel Investment Projects managing director Robert Lee has said.

"We are actually starting a new industry. It's an entertainment support industry that didn't exist in the UAE before," said Lee, whose remit includes managing Nakheel's partnership with world-renowned Canadian-based entertainment company, Cirque du Soleil.

"If you're a lighting technician in Dubai now, you only work part-time. You don't have enough venues to make that into a full-time profession," he explained.

"The permanent Cirque du Soleil show would require around 100 people that are dedicated to the technology side of a theatre operation. Imagine that. And the show is on every night, it's a full-time job.

"That's an opportunity for people to be trained in the production side of entertainment. It's a whole part of actually making the pie bigger," said Lee.

Another 100-150 people would be needed for administrative and operational roles, he added.

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Nakheel is currently working with Cirque du Soleil on the development of the theatre.

"Cirque was here last month showing us interior designs and actual elements of the theatre that is going to be built," said Lee.

"We look at all aspects together: operational, ticketing, sales and marketing, the theatre itself.

"Having said that, the creativity always rests with Cirque du Soleil. That's their calling card. What's in the theatre is still highly confidential. It's uniquely Cirque, it will be uniquely respecting the local culture and heritage and it will be wow for sure," said Lee.

The theatre is expected to involve mechanical staging and feature swimming pools, revealed Kirstyn Lewis, venue operations manager, Investment Projects, Cirque du Soleil, Nakheel.

The touring Cirque du Soleil show will be held from March 5 to April 5 2009, with the permanent show scheduled to launch mid-2011.