Abu Dhabi: Zayed Sports City may mean different things to different people. Whether you are a hardcore sport enthusiast, fitness freak or just a thrill seeker, this sprawling facility has something for everyone.
The 1.2 million square metre complex has a 43,000 seat national stadium, 14 multi-purpose grass pitches, 5,000-seat ATP standard tennis stadium with eight additional courts, 40-lane bowling centre and an Olympic size ice rink besides nine multi-purpose hard and soft surface courts, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and a slew of food and beverage options.
Says Juma Al Mehairbi, a grade 10 student at Al Nahda Boys School in Abu Dhabi: “It a sportsman’s dream come true. This is where we train and hone our skills to become part of the national team.” Al Mehairbi is a member of the ice hockey team Storms and he comes here regularly to learn the finer points of ice staking.
Opened in 1979 under the vision of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Zayed Sports City Stadium was built as a world class sports complex to showcase the country’s passion for sports.
Being the largest multi-purpose stadium in the Gulf, the stadium is an iconic landmark of Abu Dhabi, so much so that it even features on the Dh200 banknote.
For many football enthusiasts, the place is a storehouse of memories of some of the most momentous football matches they have watched in the UAE.
Lingering memories
“I grew up watching local teams lock horns at this stadium. The noise made by cheering crowds still rings in my ear,” said Sami Ali, 23, an Egyptian graduate.
Over the last 30 years new facilities and structures catering to a wide range of sports and entertainment have been added to transform Zayed Sports City into an ultimate family sports and leisure destination.
Today, Zayed Sports City is home to 28 sports and 27 organised sporting groups, academies and federations. As well as its central role to support UAE-based teams, it continues to build its reputation as a world-class training venue with international, Premier League and Bundesliga football teams using its facilities.
Ali Eid Al Mheiri, Executive Director, Mubadala Real Estate and Infrastructure, which owns the facility, said: “Mubadala is helping to develop the physical and social infrastructure required to support a modern and rapidly evolving society in Abu Dhabi. Zayed Sports City is an essential part of this process and I am delighted that it continues to grow while still playing a central role in the lives of residents through a combination of world class leisure, healthcare and residential facilities.”
This year’s Sports Industry Award that crowned Zayed Sports City as the Best Sport and Recreation Venue in the Mena region for the second consecutive year, is another feather in its crown.
The 2013 report of the centre announcing 12 per cent growth in annual revenue and 20 per cent growth in visitor numbers to 1.2 million in 2013 indeed points out to its ever-increasing popularity among residents.
Recreational facilities
For regulars it is a one-stop destination providing all facilities under one roof, be it sports, leisure or entertainment. Homemaker, Sarah Khan from the US says the place offers good recreational facilities for her two sons ages two and four.
“We come here on weekdays as well as weekends. It has got almost everything that you want from gym to parks to open play areas, walking tracks and some great restaurants too,” said Khan, who lives in Khalifa City.
For fitness enthusiasts who make it a point to hit a gym after work or on weekends, Haddins Fitness centre is the perfect place. As owner Michael Haddins says, it’s a ‘back to basic’ approach to fitness at his gym.
Members are often seen working out on the turf outdoors. In what resembles a boot camp, men and women can be seen working out using unconventional fitness methods like rolling a truck tyre or pulling heavy rods under the supervision of Haddins.
“We conduct 60 different sessions every week, and there is so much more to do here, especially since we organise sessions outdoors, said Haddins, who is from Australia. The gym, which opened three and a half years ago, has about 300 members.
Patrick Maine, another American who works for the Abu Dhabi government, said he has not seen a facility like this anywhere in the Middle East. “What is special about Zayed Sports City is it covers every conceivable sporting and leisure need. My elder son comes here for football training, the younger one enjoys the game zone. I love bowling and my wife goes running. So it’s a perfect place for families,” said Maine.
