Zayed Sports City (ZSC), the premier sports and entertainment venue in the UAE, logged 1.2 million visitors in 2013 as against one million in the previous year, marking a growth of 20 per cent.

The venue forms part of the real estate and infrastructure portfolio of Mubadala, the Abu Dhabi-based investment and development company.

Ali Eid AlMheiri, executive director, Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure, 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 Abu Dhabi residents through a combination of world-class leisure, healthcare and residential facilities.”

Established in 1979 with the opening of the Zayed Sport City Stadium, ZSC is now a 1.2 million sq m development which encompasses the 43,000 seat national stadium, 14 multipurpose grass pitches, a 5,000-seat ATP standard tennis stadium with eight additional courts, a 40-lane bowling centre and an Olympic size ice rink as well as nine multi-purpose hard and soft surface courts, state of the art fitness facilities and multiple F&B options.

Zayed Sports City, which reported a revenue increase of 12 per cent year-on-year in 2013, is now home to 28 sports (2012: 23) and 27 organised sporting groups, academies and federations.

In 2013, ZSC played host to 143 events up 43 per cent from 2012. In addition to the annual Mubadala World Tennis Championship and major events like WWE Live and Monster Jam, Abu Dhabi Alive, Abu Dhabi Wilson Tennis Cup and the UAE’s first open Ladies Tennis Tournament, ACE IT were on the calendar.

ZSC continues to provide a platform to develop the country’s promising sporting talent. In 2013, Zahri Lari became the first UAE national figure skater to win a gold medal at an international competition. Zayed Sports City also strengthened its collaboration with the UAE Ice Skating Federation, supporting their successful bid to become a member of the International Skating Union.

Barry Bremner, general manager of ZSC, said: “2013 was another great year of progress for Zayed Sport City. We take a holistic approach to the management of this important component of social infrastructure for the people of Abu Dhabi, combining operational excellence with a commitment to supporting sporting talent and healthy lifestyles.”

“Winning the Sports Industry Award for Best Sport and Recreation Venue in the Middle East was a great endorsement of our efforts in 2013 and I would like to thank everyone involved with Zayed Sports City, from employees to volunteers and all those who use these great facilities for making this possible.

“Looking ahead, we will continue to work closely with the local sport councils and international federations, listening to the opinions of the local community while looking at ways to diversify our programmes to increase quality and revenues, to ensure that Zayed Sports City continues to live up to its original goal,” Bremner added.

2013 saw the addition of Healthpoint, a fully integrated, primary care and multi-specialty hospital, as well as the FGB Arena, a multifunctional indoor Arena. – TradeArabia News Service