DUBAI, March 1: Dubai hopes to have a spectacular sports city operating by 2007 ahead of a possible bid for the 2016 Olympic Games.

The $2 billion city will host the first Manchester United soccer school outside Europe, a golf course designed by South African Ernie Els, a David Lloyd tennis school and a Butch Harmon golf academy, the first outside North America.

"The United Arab Emirates is ready, via the Dubai Sports City, to hold the Olympics," said Mohammed al-Gergawi, head of a government investment authority in Dubai, on Monday. Dubai is one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates.

The city would encourage women's participation in sports in the Gulf region, where women are traditionally excluded. "We will defintely be promoting them and they will have a role to play," said Abdul-Rahman Falaknaz. One of three local investors behind the project, Falaknaz believes Dubai could hold the 2016 Games.

"The Gulf is renowned for loving football and hopefully the academy will produce some young talent in the Gulf area," former Manchester United goalkeeper Alex Stepney said. -Reuters