Burj Khalifa closed indefinitely

Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper has unexpectedly closed to the public a month after its lavish opening, disappointing tourists headed for the observation deck and casting doubt over plans to welcome its first permanent occupants in the coming weeks.

Electrical problems are partly to blame for the closure of the Burj Khalifa's viewing platform - the only part of the half-mile high tower open yet. But a lack of information from the spire's owner left it unclear whether the rest of the largely empty building - including dozens of elevators meant to whisk visitors to the tower's more than 160 floors - was affected by the shutdown.

The indefinite closure, which began on Sunday, comes as Dubai struggles to revive its international image as a cutting-edge Arab metropolis amid nagging questions about its financial health.

The Persian Gulf city-state had hoped the 828-metre Burj Khalifa would be a major tourist draw. Dubai has promoted itself by wowing visitors with over-the-top attractions such as the Burj, which juts like a silvery needle out of the desert and can be seen from miles around.

The city-state is facing a slump in tourism - which accounts for nearly a fifth of the economy - while fending off negative publicity caused by more than $US80 billion in debt it is struggling to repay.

Dubai opened the skyscraper on January 4 in a blaze of fireworks. Work is still ongoing on many of the other floors, including those that will house the first hotel designed by Giorgio Armani that is due to open in March. The base remains largely a construction zone, with entrance restricted to the viewing platform lobby in an adjacent shopping mall.



Recommended reading:
* Dubai Property Crash 2009