- Title: SYRIA: Uptown entertainment complex opens in Damascus as war rages
- Date: 5th October 2014
- Summary: EXTERIOR SPORTS COMPLEX VARIOUS OF POOL WITH SLIDES AMUSEMENT PARK RIDE IN AMUSEMENT PARK VARIOUS OF CROWDS IN AMUSEMENT PARK (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UPTOWN VISITOR MARAH ZOHARI, SAYING: "We came here to lift our spirits and expel the pressure of the situation we live in. So it is good to see this project open. We love it!" VARIOUS OF MAN DOING ARCHERY VARIOUS OF MAN PRACTISING IN SHOOTING RANGE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN INVESTOR KAMIL NASRALLAH, SAYING: "This place is encouraging to all Syrian and non-Syrian investors, it says 'come to Syria, Syria is fine.' There will always be a period of recovery after the time of war that we were passing through." EXTERIOR OF VINTAGE CAR EXHIBITION HALL VARIOUS OF VINTAGE CARS AND MOTORBIKES VARIOUS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR IN SYRIAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM KHALED HASSWANI TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR IN SYRIAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM KHALED HASSWANI, SAYING: "Today the atmosphere of the world has changed, this change leads to a change in individuals' behaviour. Today there is some relief among investors who see Syria as having a promising future in terms of tourism investment and investment in general, especially because the government is encouraging investment and the rebuilding of Syria. We know that the Syrian government encourages the regeneration of the country and this encourages more investors to come to Syria to invest." VARIOUS OF UPTOWN AMUSEMENT PARK
- Embargoed: 20th October 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Syrian Arab Republic
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflict,Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA5W2I243KFXPOB3D46CL66G0E4
- Story Text: As war rages elsewhere in the country, an affluent Damascus suburb opens a development with a bowling alley, swimming pool and amusement park to offer light relief to its visitors.
A Damascus suburb that has been unscathed by the war raging elsewhere in the country has opened a new amusement park, leisure and shopping centre called Uptown.
The $40 million U.S. dollar development has created 2,000 jobs in this untouched pocket near the Syrian capital, while almost two thirds of the country are living in extreme poverty.
Uptown's attractions have been drawing large crowds to the upmarket suburb, which the project's public relations director Hanadi Hassan says is no surprise.
"We expected this large turnout because you can consider the project as an escape, a chance for entertainment in the midst of all the pressures and the issues in this country," she told Reuters.
Uptown also boasts a vintage car exhibition hall, restaurants, shops and rare sports such as archery and a shooting range.
The development's patrons say they visit Uptown to inject some joy into their lives at an otherwise difficult time.
"We came here to lift our spirits and expel the pressure of the situation we live in. So it is good to see this project open. We love it!" said Marah Zohari.
Syrian investor Kamil Nasrallah, who was taking a break in the complex's shooting range, said the time has come for optimism in the Syrian economy.
"This place is encouraging to all Syrian and non-Syrian investors, it says 'come to Syria, Syria is fine.' There will always be a period of recovery after the time of war that we were passing through," he said.
His opinion was reflected by the Syrian tourism ministry's PR director Khaled Hasswani who said the government is seeking to regenerate the country.
"Today there is some relief among investors who see Syria as having a promising future in terms of tourism investment and investment in general, especially because the government is encouraging investment and the rebuilding of Syria."
But this is not an opinion that is corroborated by independent reports into Syria's economy. Beyond this affluent suburb, Syria's economy, rocked by four years of civil war, is shrinking fast.
A study conducted by the Damascus based-Syrian Centre for Policy Research and commissioned by the United Nations, International Monetary Fund (IMF) in May estimates a 40 percent contraction in GDP since the start the conflict in 2011. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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