Priyanka Chopra to be Dubai's 'Goddess of Atlantis': report

Dubai, Nov 19 (IANS) Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra has been chosen to officially inaugurate Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai's latest iconic luxury resort at a $40 million glittering function Thursday, according to reports.

The former Miss World has also been chosen 'Goddess of Atlantis' at the function, the highlights of which will be one of the world's largest fireworks display and a performance by Australian pop star Kylie Minogue, the online edition of the Arabian Business magazine reported.

As the Goddess of Atlantis, Priyanka will introduce 'Atlantis Rising', an aerial ballet of fireworks to be performed by the Grucci Family, who did the pyrotechnics in the Beijing Olympics.

Among the A-list celebrities who will reportedly be attending the Thursday evening event are Hollywood actors Lindsay Lohan, Denzel Washington, Robert De Niro and Gerard Butler, singers Janet Jackson and Lily Allen and basketball star Michael Jordan.

Bollywood's oomph girl Mallika Sherawat is among other Indian celebrities who have been identified for the megashow, it is learnt.

Top business leaders, politicians, chief executives and members of the Dubai royal family are among the 2,000-strong guest list of the black-tie affair.

Celebrity chefs Nobu Matsuhisa, Santi Santamaria, Michael Rostang and Giorgio Locatelli will treat guests to a sumptuous meal called the 'Atlantean Feast' before Minogue takes the stage, the Arabian Business report said.

Actor Lohan's partner DJ Samantha Ronson will host an 'Atlantis Afterglow' show to round off the evening's events.

Atlantis, The Palm, is the flagship resort of Palm Jumeirah, one of the three palm-shaped artificial islands off the coast of Dubai.

Though it had opened its doors to guests and day visitors in September, it had scheduled its official opening for Nov 20.

Dubbed the first integrated entertainment resort in this metropolis on the Gulf coast, it is offering a whole range of entertainment and leisure activities themed around marine life apart from regular hotel facilities.

A creation of South African hotel magnate Sol Kerzner and Kerzner International, it is the second such resort in the world after the Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas.

Set on the crest of the Palm Jumeirah, Atlantis, the Palm is one of the most luxurious resorts in the Middle East, with 360-degree views of the ocean, restaurants from acclaimed chefs, an 11 million-litre marine habitat called Ambassador Lagoon that is home to more than 65,000 animals and a water park for leisure activities spread over 17 hectares.

Another attraction is the replica of the ruins of the legendary lost city of Atlantis, which Plato mentioned in his dialogues 'Timaeus' and 'Critias'.

The boulevards and ruins of the legendary lost city have been recreated on the seabed of the Ambassador Lagoon and visitors can view these from an underwater maze of tunnels called 'The Lost Chambers'.

Meanwhile, local authorities have imposed restrictions on the area surrounding the resort.

Residents of the Palm Jumeirah island will be granted access only on production of valid passes or sales or tenancy contracts.

Access to the resort itself will be blocked from Wednesday evening till Friday midday.

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