Is this 'International Chess City' more of a PR thing or truly substantive?

It will probably be beneficial for chess even if it is only 'more of a PR
thing', but it will only be 'truly substantive' if it provides a permanent
home and infrastructure support for things like WCCs and olympiads.

It would also be a good idea to have the Emir of Dubai wave thousand dollar
bills under the noses of players to entice them to play fighting chess, just
like Luis Rentero did. In fact, that's probably a better use of the money
than erecting million dollar buildings, not that I am against spending tens
of millions or more on chess buildings.

Use the money to solve the draw problem. Establish a fund like the Nobel
prize fund for chess to award a substantial amount of money and a lot of
prestige to the best fighter of the chess year. If billions can't solve the
draw problem, nothing will.

Rambling because overwhelmed on how it's possible at all to spend billions
of dollars on chess ...


"Bugsy" wrote in message
.. .
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=59925

Dubai to build $2.6 billion International Chess City



The DailyStar - 09/08/2004

BEIRUT: Dubai announced plans to construct its latest
colossal project Saturday: a $2.6 billion gamble on the game of chess. The
sprawling desert emirate, which has already vowed to build the world's
largest mall, theme park, archipelago of man-made islands and tallest
building on earth, now says it aims to conquer the age-old world of chess.
By creating the 64,000 square meter International Chess City, which will
feature 32 buildings designed to mirror the image of a traditional black
and
white game board, Dubai hopes to corner yet another niche industry by
winning over millions of chess enthusiasts worldwide.

"It is Dubai's destiny to become the center of such a
magnificent game," said Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, President of Russia's Kalmykia
region, who is backing the project. "Dubai will play host to over 60
million
amateur and professional chess followers from around the globe annually.
They will have a permanent venue ... and play 24 hour championships
throughout the year, while some other 500 million lovers of the game will
have the chance to follow the excitement via interactive electronic
screens," he added in a joint statement with the chief executive of Dubai
Projects, Sulaiman al-Fahim.

"We have had prolonged discussions with President Kirsan
Ilumjinov ... on future economic cooperation between our two nations"
Fahim
said. "This has culminated in the historical announcement we are making
today," he added, without specifying a project start date.

The development is also expected to feature apartments
and
three- to seven-star hotels, with the two king towers standing at 64
floors.

According to the statement, Ilumjinov, also head of the
International Chess Association, said he intended to move the
Association's
headquarters from Lausanne in Switzerland to the new International Chess
City in Dubai.

"We chose the Emirate of Dubai to host this gigantic
undertaking, precisely because of Dubai's international reputation as a
place where imaginative projects such as the International Chess City can
come to life," Ilumjinov said.

Dubai has poured billions into elaborate projects it
hopes
will lure 15 million tourists by 2010.

Whatever the article might say, you would do well to stuff in a hole somewhere
the idea that $2.6 billion is about to be spent on chess. We have one "chess
city" in Kalmykia that houses the inner circle of Kirsan's political machine,
and we may safely assume that the new chess city will never be built. If it is,
then we may be certain beyond a peradventure that it will be used to house some
particularly nasty human cobras and gila monsters.

Has everyone forgotten that in 1986 Dubai was the place where an Israeli team
was not allowed to compete in the Chess Olympics?

__________________________________________________ ______________
"FIDE has made its decision. Players who refuse to be drug tested will not be
able to play chess." -- Dr. Press, co-founder of the FIDE Medical Commission.

"PeteCasso" wrote in message ...

Use the money to solve the draw problem. Establish a fund like the Nobel
prize fund for chess to award a substantial amount of money and a lot of
prestige to the best fighter of the chess year. If billions can't solve the
draw problem, nothing will.

Rambling because overwhelmed on how it's possible at all to spend billions
of dollars on chess ...

Don't be naive. Chess here is just a gimmick. Hotels and apt buildings
have their own value and potential for making money with or without
chess.

Wlod

I did consider that, what you call "gimmick", I called "PR".


"Wlodzimierz Holsztynski" wrote in message
om...
"PeteCasso" wrote in message
...

Use the money to solve the draw problem. Establish a fund like the Nobel
prize fund for chess to award a substantial amount of money and a lot of
prestige to the best fighter of the chess year. If billions can't solve
the
draw problem, nothing will.

Rambling because overwhelmed on how it's possible at all to spend
billions
of dollars on chess ...

Don't be naive. Chess here is just a gimmick. Hotels and apt buildings
have their own value and potential for making money with or without
chess.

Wlod