Dubai Autodrome and Union Properties are moving ahead with plans to develop a new retail plaza and a motorsport business park in MotorCity, Dubai, UAE.    
 
The retail plaza, located in the grandstand area of Dubai Autodrome, is being prepared to accommodate 11 new prime retail units overlooking the start and finish straight of the circuit and encompassing a large outdoor terrace in which merchants can operate their businesses in a unique environment.    

Ryan Trutch, Dubai Autodrome special projects manager, said: “MotorCity community has become a hive of activity over the past few years. Through the development, enhancement and expansion of our facilities we aim to further increase the business and leisure attraction in and around Dubai Autodrome and Kartdrome."    
 
Trutch said: "We expect to see several F&B (food and beverage) outlets, cafés and motor-related businesses to open within a few months. We welcomed the first tenant ‘Emerald Fitness’ which opened its doors in December 2015 with a state-of-the-art gym."
 
Also set to open in the retail plaza tomorrow (January 8) ahead of the traditional Hankook 24H Dubai endurance race, is a pop-up style bar-cum-lounge run by Fox Hill Catering & Events Management in the grandstand courtyard. This will open daily until midnight and remains open for several months thereafter.   

“We expect that the grandstand area will become a destination for social entertainment and F&B outlets. Additionally, Fox Hill will be hosting weekend community markets over the course of the next few months which will obviously add to the appeal," he said.
 
The motorsport business park will cater for racing teams and motorsport-related businesses keen to locate to the venue which in turn attracts a dedicated clientele which they can tap into.

The planned 5,000-sq-m facility will comprise 13 units ranging in size from 200 sq m to 420 sq m and will be situated in the existing P2 car park area. The building will overlook the main circuit pit exit.
 
The plans allow for buildings which are bespoke for motorsport operations, with the goal to cater for and help develop the motorsport industry and business in Dubai, while concentrating these activities in an ideal environment in the aptly named MotorCity.
 
Across the boulevard from the main track, the Kartdrome - which has enjoyed ongoing upgrades over the years – will continue to be developed with plans in place to further enhance the facility for kart owners and Arrive & Drive customers. Also in the pipeline is the construction of a corporate enclosure, above the pit bays, overlooking the main straight adjacent to the existing pits complex.
 
A Zoom store, serving food and refreshments, has become an integral and highly popular part of the outdoor Kartdrome and another will be added at the indoor Kartdrome facility in due course.
 
Richard Birch, general manager of Dubai Autodrome, said: "Dubai is a constantly evolving city, with benchmark international standard sports facilities aimed at catering admirably for the city's residents as well as attracting tourists from around the globe."