Saadiyat Island - Island of Happiness - the signature residential and tourism destination, taking shape just 500 metres offshore the United Arab Emirate's capital city - is to get a luxury Rotana Resort.

The five-star resort, which will be designed with a distinctly themed atmosphere, will be built on the secluded Saadiyat Beach – one of six districts of the island.

An agreement for the sale of 809,000 square feet of beach front was signed today between Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and its asset-management arm Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) and Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman of Rotana Hotels.

"The Saadiyat Beach proposition of secluded, highly landscaped resorts has resonated well with investors with the Rotana Resort being the latest in a series of land purchases concluded over the past six months," explained HH Sheikh Sultan.

"Rotana Hotels, being very much a Middle East brand, is demonstrating its belief in the transformation of Saadiyat into a premier destination which will greatly enhance Abu Dhabi's overall tourism development aims."

The luxury Rotana Resort Saadiyat Beach will have a 400-450 room upscale hotel, a private stretch of beach, a variety of Food & Beverage outlets with meeting & Conference facilities in addition to a Spa and a fully equipped Bodylines Health & Fitness Club.

"The whole Saadiyat Beach concept is one which will have great appeal, particularly among European tourists who are looking for the kind of excellent sea-facing destinations the island represents," said Nasser Al Nowais.

"Design briefs for the resort have now been issued with a criteria of including subtle elements which reflect the unique culture of the UAE."

To be owned by Nasser Al Nowais and family, the resort will be managed by Rotana Hotels.

"We anticipate appointing an architect by the end of this year and to begin construction around the middle of 2007 with the aim of opening towards the end of 2009," explained Al Nowais.

Saadiyat Beach, which lies to the north west of Saadiyat Island, is masterplanned to produce a range of five-star resorts flanking nine kilometres of pristine beach, a championship golf course with freehold villas, dedicated sailing club and private beach clubs, all creating a celebrity see-and-be-seen atmosphere.

Three other major resort development plots in the district have already been sold to Abu Dhabi National Hotels, the UAE's National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels (NCTH) and the UAE capital's prestigious Al Jaber Group

Saadiyat Island, which will also be home to the Middle East's first Guggenheim contemporary art museum, is being developed in three phases. Enabling works to clear the ground for infrastructure development on Saadiyat – the Middle East's largest single natural island development, are already underway.

Caption: HH Sheikh Sultan and Nasser Al Nowais sign the Saadiyat Beach land sale paving the way for a luxury Rotana Resort on the island destination.