PLANNING FOR LEGACY – A COST EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE APPROACH. CASE STUDY: DUBAI EXPO 2020

Abstract. The planning and development of a site for hosting a mega event such as world exhibitions, summer and winter Olympic Games and World Cup, that attracts numerous numbers of visitors and global attention, is a challenging mission and requires a massive and resource intensive effort of coordination and cooperation between different authorities to ensure the timely delivery of the required facilities and infrastructure, on budget and without unanticipated cost overruns. Usually, these mega events last for a relatively short period, which presents a significant financial risk that requires addressing, in order to avoid building surplus assets and infrastructure that will be only used for the limited duration of the event which is fraction of its potential asset life, potentially resulting in it being left unutilized after the event . This risk can be controlled by forming a governance body to ensure appropriate coordination between different authorities to ensure that the plan for hosting a mega event is embedded in and integrated with the plan for the hosting city’s growth and with the objective of ultimately deliver a lasting legacy that efficiently capitalizes on the potential asset life of all of the mega event’s buildings and infrastructure post-event. This research work focuses on the model adopted by Dubai to manage the delivery of the exhibition of Dubai Expo 2020 and the sustainable development that will stay beyond the event. Over the course of planning for this event and its post-event legacy, the Dubai government formed and implemented a system of governance and project management designed to ensure the effective development and delivery of the event and its expected legacy and to safeguard the interests of the city throughout its life-cycle. This research examined the sustainability factors considered in the planning of Dubai’s Expo 2020, considered essential in providing the necessary legacy and that maximized the cost effectiveness of investment. Some of the mega projects implemented as part of the delivery of Dubai’s Expo 2020 and legacy will be outlined in this paper. The main aim of this study is to represent a case study of best practice in the hosting of a mega event and in planning for its legacy.