Abu Dhabi Hotel regrets 'overload' spending $11,000,000 on a Christmas Tree - Polidicks

[IMG]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20101216/capt.e662afde773046f28e82a1946d752a11-e662afde773046f28e82a1946d752a11-0.jpg?x=400&y=292&q=85&sig=lf5Yjd43NnZxNht79h6izQ--[/IMG] [I] A Christmas tree which has been decked out with US$11 million U.S. (euro14.3 million) worth of gold and precious stones, stands at the lobby of the Emirates Palace hotel, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday Dec. 16, 2010. [/I] [URL]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ml_emirates_11m_christmas_tree[/URL] [quote=Associated Press] ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – An Abu Dhabi luxury hotel that boasted an $11 million Christmas tree decorated with gold and gems admitted Sunday it may have taken the holiday spirit a bit too far. A statement from the Emirates Palace hotel said it regretted "attempts to overload" the Christmas tree tradition by adorning it with premium bling including gold, rubies, diamonds and other precious stones from a hotel jeweler. The statement was a rare bit of reflection on the Gulf's ethos of excess. The tree was unveiled last week with full fanfare in a hotel that features its own gold bar vending machine and a one-week $1 million package that includes private jet jaunts around the Middle East. But the hotel management apparently had second thoughts after questions arose about whether the opulent tree was innocent good cheer or unfortunate bad taste. The hotel regrets "attempts to overload the tradition followed by most hotels in the country with meanings and connotations that do not fall in line with the (hotel's) professional standards," said a statement carried on the state-run news agency WAM. The hotel even tried to distance itself from the 43-foot (13-meter) faux fir in one of its rotundas, saying a hotel-based jeweler was solely responsible for creating and decorating the tree. "The hotel is just a venue for exhibiting the tree," the statement said. The hotel also claimed the tree was not a stunt, but rather an effort to boost the holiday mood for its guests based on the United Arab Emirates' "values of openness and tolerance." Although officially Muslim, the UAE features many signs of Christmas for its huge foreign population. Lights, carolers and Santas are fixtures in nearly every mall. [/quote] I think that's a bit to much to spend.

it's a disgusting usage of money

It doesn't even look good.. they should have spent some money on lights.

If countries could be compared to people, the United Emirates would be some rich guy going through his midlife crisis and draining his retirement fund. [editline]20th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=Rares;26820200]It doesn't even look good.. they should have spent some money on lights.[/QUOTE] It's not enough they have gold spheres larger then your head but now you want [i]lights[/i] too?

[QUOTE=CodeMonkey3;26820202]If locations could be compared to people, Dubai is some rich guy going through his midlife crisis and draining his retirement fund.[/QUOTE] It's not Dubai

"Religious intolerance"

[QUOTE=Starpluck;26820223]It's not Dubai[/QUOTE] Ah, sorry. When I saw "United Emirates" and saw someone spent 11,000,000 on a single Christmas tree I just assumed it was Dubai.

[QUOTE=CodeMonkey3;26820242]Ah, sorry. When I saw "United Emirates" and saw someone spent 11,000,000 on a single Christmas tree I just assumed it was Dubai.[/QUOTE] It's understandable but the title actually said Abu Dhabi, not UAE :v:

I think it looks pretty!

[QUOTE=Starpluck;26820256]It's understandable but the title actually said Abu Dhabi, not UAE :v:[/QUOTE] I've only been asleep for an hour because of my coverage of the Korean crisis which ended up being bullshit so I'm kind of tired and I misread "Dhabi" as "Dubai" I guess. Even so, I figured Abu Dhabi was the name of the hotel, rather then a location, title confused me a bit.

11 Million dollars are not 14.3 Million Euros...

[QUOTE=Killuah;26820318]11 Million dollars are not 14.3 Million Euros...[/QUOTE] 11 Million EUR is 14.48M USD, though. They probably entered in the numbers the wrong way around.

[QUOTE=Anteep2;26820190]it's a disgusting usage of money[/QUOTE] Especially for something that would last for only 2 weeks. It's pretty sad.

send nermal there

someones gonna sneak a piece of gold out of the hotel.

How many African villages could have been given clean water with that money? 11 million by 7,000 (at the most) for essential hygiene and water sources and buildings per village- 1,571 villages. Cool beans. Tens of thousands of lives made better, or a Christmas tree?

[QUOTE=Bytecry;26820755]someones gonna sneak a piece of gold out of the hotel.[/QUOTE] The people who can afford to go there won't bother, they probably have enough. [editline]20th December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=Detective P;26820763]How many African villages could have been given clean water with that money? 11 million by 7,000 (at the most) for essential hygiene and water sources and buildings per village- 1,571 villages. Cool beans. Tens of thousands of lives made better, or a Christmas tree?[/QUOTE] The Emirates probably have no concept of poverty.

I have been there :smug:

That's just outright ridiculous.

[QUOTE=rampageturke 2;26820764]The people who can afford to go there won't bother, they probably have enough.[/QUOTE] its still always nice to have a free piece of gold.

Fuck Africans I got gold

[QUOTE=Detective P;26820763]How many African villages could have been given clean water with that money? 11 million by 7,000 (at the most) for essential hygiene and water sources and buildings per village- 1,571 villages. Cool beans. Tens of thousands of lives made better, or a Christmas tree?[/QUOTE] As much as I disgust the extravagance spending on the Christmas Tree, these type of arguments in general are horrible and unnecessary. Besides, I'm sure they would donate to it's neighbors first (specifically Palestine).

[QUOTE=Starpluck;26820876]As much as I disgust the extravagance spending on the Christmas Tree, these type of arguments are horrible and unnecessary. Besides, Africa is fucked up and beyond repair regardless, and I'm sure they would donate to it's neighbors first (specifically Palestine).[/QUOTE] What about Israel? Oh wait.

[QUOTE=rampageturke 2;26820899]What about Israel? Oh wait.[/QUOTE] Israel can sustain on it's own, it doesn't need humanitarian aid last time I checked.

[QUOTE=Detective P;26820763]How many African villages could have been given clean water with that money? 11 million by 7,000 (at the most) for essential hygiene and water sources and buildings per village- 1,571 villages. Cool beans. Tens of thousands of lives made better, or a Christmas tree?[/QUOTE] The water would be stolen by militias and the villagers killed to keep it under wraps. Good job, you just killed 30,000 people.

That's just dumb in many ways.

Well, that money could have fed multiple families for life, but no. It's Christmas! Disgusting.

Looks like you can make a similar tree with cheap shit from Walmart for like $200 tops.

[QUOTE=Detective P;26820763]How many African villages could have been given clean water with that money? 11 million by 7,000 (at the most) for essential hygiene and water sources and buildings per village- 1,571 villages. Cool beans. Tens of thousands of lives made better, or a Christmas tree?[/QUOTE] How about you start with a country that's nearby, and doesn't have corrupt government and militias? Try Palestine.

[QUOTE=marlkarxv2;26822835]How about you start with a country that's nearbye, and doesn't have corrupt government and militias? Try Palestine.[/QUOTE] I get it, because they DO have corrupt government and militias!!! Ahahaha