Al Dana Amphitheatre is set to become the latest global destination to stage lavish wedding celebrations for rich Indian families.
Bahrain’s newest live entertainment destination, which opened its doors in November last year, has put forward a request to the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) to put its name forward as an ideal venue for forthcoming lavish nuptials.
Located adjacent to Bahrain International Circuit, the venue has already become a key player in the region’s entertainment industry, seamlessly bringing together the desert landscape and state-of-the-art technology to create a one-of-a-kind event location that has captivated guests as well as international artists such as Eric Clapton.
“We are a unique venue that is unmatched by any other in the region,” said the venue’s sales manager Fatema Al Doseri.
“There are more refurbishment and expansion ideas to elevate the venue’s concept, which includes introducing new facilities and landscaping,” she added.
“We expect work to start from May and continue to August as we get ready to attract new-concepts of entertainment attractions.
“And, lavish weddings are a target too. For those once-in-a-lifetime experiences – Al Dana would make the perfect destination. We have submitted a request to BTEA to consider our venue for upcoming Indian weddings when requests are made for a suggested suitable and outstanding venue in the kingdom.”
The venue’s operators, under the umbrella of Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat, proudly proclaim that it is already proving to be ‘the venue of choice for touring artists and global event promoters’, further helping to promote tourism and establishing the kingdom as an essential destination for entertainment and events.
Al Dana Amphitheatre’s outdoor Sakhir setting and unique natural acoustics appear to have won over artists and fans. It only opened last November with singer Rashed Al Majed’s concert.
Guests begin their journey by entering a plaza, before moving to a 10,000 seat open-air theatre. The venue is surrounded by several other event spaces. Above the theatre lie parallel balconies and suites overlooking the stage, in addition to the venue’s green sanctuary, the Desert Garden and the Quarry Lounge, all of which are available for global event promoters, corporate and private events.
In addition to hosting top artists, Al Dana Amphitheatre aims to have a strong and lasting impact on the kingdom’s economy by generating a diverse variety of new jobs in the entertainment sector.
Meanwhile, the Auctions and Tenders Board has received four bids ranging between BD780,000 and BD1.4 million to carry out development work on the venue.
“The renovations include facilities, warehouses and green spaces that will further enable us to give the place a cutting edge feel,” said venue architect Marwan Lockman.
“The place, as it currently stands, is attractive but continuous development renews interest. The venue is as important as the event itself.”
Expansion details and future plans were unveiled during a tour of the venue by senior journalists organised by the National Communications Centre.
BTEA said that 3,000 guests from Bahrain and all over the world had already attended the events, with 2,400 of them flying to the kingdom.
And if proposals are backed, wedding events will draw in many more travellers from Asia.
Bahrain hosted eight Indian weddings in November and December 2019, which directly contributed $5.5 million to the national economy, before the outbreak of the pandemic that put 10 planned wedding arrangements on hold.
Intricately designed stages in large, palatial venues, rituals by a bright, breezy setting, hosting hundreds, even thousands, of guests in an international location are the ingredients for the ‘Big Fat Indian Wedding ’, according to planners.
Al Dana Amphitheatre may hit the right note.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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