In a surprise move, Dubai also renamed the gleaming tower Burj Khalifa in a nod to Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of neighboring Abu Dhabi. Dubai is in the midst of a deep financial crisis, and its oil-rich neighbor has pumped billions of dollars into the emirate.
The metal-and-glass spire, with a price tag of about $1.5 billion, is billed as a "vertical city" of luxury apartments and offices. It has four swimming pools, a private library and a hotel designed by Giorgio Armani.
Greg Sang, the developer's director of projects, touted the safety measures. The Burj has "refuge floors" at 25 to 30 story intervals that are fire resistant and have separate air supplies. It also has a reinforced concrete structure.
RelatedHitting new heights: A comparison of world's tall buildings"It's a lot more robust," Sang said. "A plane won't be able to slice through the Burj like it did through the steel columns of the World Trade Center."
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