News & Press

7th May 2010: Meydan - Report from Merrick Haydon of Revolution Sports Marketing Group

Dubai's race to build the iconic Meydan horseracing development in time for the 2010 Dubai World Cup - featuring the richest horse race in the world - was a close finish, but never in doubt. On the eve of the inaugural 2010 event, Merrick Haydon spoke with Mohammad Al Khayat, Commercial Director of Meydan City Corporation.

Meydan City may only be at the start of a long journey but with the stunning staging of the US$26.25 million Dubai World Cup raceday in March this year, featuring the richest horserace in the world, it has left an indelible impression on the 60,000 spectators as well as the millions of race fans from around the world.

As a sports venue, its statistics are unparalleled and can be compared favourably against some of the world's greatest stadiums. A grandstand that seats 60,000 plus spectators, a five-star trackside hotel, six haute-cuisine restaurants offering food from five continents, an IMAX cinema, and covered parking for up to 10,000 cars. For spectators therefore, the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of horseracing in such a uniquely luxurious setting is without equal anywhere in the world.

In time, Meydan City will encompass a golf course, a business park, an 80-berth Marina and various residential districts - all in a unique setting where business and pleasure will be designed to operate in harmony.

The man responsible for the worldwide marketing of the venue is Commercial Director, Mohammad Al Khayat. A graduate of Cass Business School, part of City University in London, Mohammad joined Meydan in 2007 when the horseracing development master plan was first launched.

"From the moment we launched in 2007, the focus has always been the 2010 Dubai World Cup, so the last two years have been very busy" explained Mohammad.
"Although I am responsible for the overall sales targets, marketing budgets and sponsorship management, the commercial team liaises with many different internal groups so our work is relevant to many departments within the company".

While the final development will include many different aspects, equestrian sports will always be at the core of Meydan's philosophy. Meydan not only stages the aforementioned Dubai World Cup, but also sponsors the FEI Nations Cup, the premier international outdoor show jumping competition as well as being the Endurance Competition sponsor for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

With the date for the completion of the Meydan project fixed for the 2010 Dubai World Cup, Mohammad and his marketing team were on an extremely tight schedule, with little room for error. "The primary concern was to achieve the correct marketing exposure for the event and support all our sponsors, from the day they came onboard until the actual event itself", explained Mohammad.

"Within my department, the team is made up of eight core members, but in the lead-up to the Dubai World Cup, we employ temporary staff to help us out. As we're undergoing restructuring, the marketing team currently falls under the scope of the Commercial Department".

He went on to add, "There are currently 20 members who work within the five separate groups which make the marketing team; Sponsorship, Events, Hospitality and Sales, Marketing Communications and Branding, and PR. As this is a fast-track project, all the teams work together to ensure that the project gets finished on time".

Showcases at the 2008 Shanghai Cityscape and the 2009 Cityscape Dubai were seen as the ideal opportunity to allow the public and potential partners alike the chance to engage hands-on with the unique development. In December 2009, a select group of 70 journalists from 30 countries were invited to take their first-ever look at the impressive racecourse and hospitality facilities which would be on display to the world only three months later.

From a sponsorship perspective, Meydan is able to offer some of the region's leading brands an outstanding platform on which to build international awareness. The eagerly anticipated official launch of Meydan, in conjunction with the 2010 Dubai World Cup, makes this one of the biggest events in the UAE's social and sporting calendar and attracts the horseracing elite from around the world.

"Our sponsors include Emirates Airlines, Dubai Duty Free, China Guangsha, The Saeed and Mohammed Al Naboodah Group, Etisalat - Emirates Telecommunication Corporation, Gulf News, Emirates NBD and Land Rover. We work hard to maintain close relationships with each of them and speak on a daily basis in order to ensure all their needs are met", said Mohammad. "In the cases of Emirates, Dubai Duty Free and Gulf News, they have been sponsors of the Dubai World Cup since its inception in 1996 and we are delighted that their partnership is still ongoing and is a testament to all our hard work".

The key to completing a development of this size and scale on time has been communication. Although emails have become the 21st century tool for communicating, when instant decisions are needed, Mohammad and his team still rely on the telephone as the most direct means of communication. However, there is some concession to modernity as Mohammad pointed out, "We thank BlackBerry every day for their invention - we're always on them!"

Long after the racing fans have left Meydan, the work will still go on for Mohammad and his team. With the Meydan Metropolis, a combination of sumptuous residential and commercial space, set to open in the second quarter of 2011, there is still plenty to do to and as ever, time is tight.

Merrick Haydon is Managing Director, Sponsorship, of Revolution Sports Marketing Group