Extravagant Opening

I'm in awe of this. The fireworks had a few layers, like how the stadium seats are like, one on top of the other. Watch it for yourself.
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Kylie Minogue performed on stage for a reported £1.5 million fee but the real entertainment of the night was provided by the pyrotechnics. One million fireworks – almost 10 times the scale of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony – lit up the Palm, with the organisers claiming the display was visible from space.

Even in Dubai, a part of the world renowned for excess, there had never been a party like it.

"We built something that's quite extraordinary. We've got to tell the world about it," said Sol Kerzner, the South African billionaire hotelier and casino tycoon.

The 1,539-room Atlantis took two years to build and cost £1 billion. Mr Kerzner admitted that the global economic downturn would have an effect on business.

"We are in a challenging time. The economy is basically in a recession and we have to adjust to the changing circumstances. We have to be careful with our cost levels" he said, although he did not believe he had splashed out too much on his guests: "I didn't lay on private jets. They either came in their own private jets or by regular airline."

Colin Cowie, the party planner, likened the logistics of organising the beachside party to the Normandy landings. He added: "People say, 'How do you have a party like this in these economic times?' But the funds were allocated a year ago, and you have to dream big to get a big result."