The Palm Jumeriah Development in Dubai is taking shape as more of the private homes are completed and become occupied and plans for the hotels crystallize. Located off the coast of Dubai, UAE, the Palm Jumeirah consists of manmade islands designed in the shape of a palm tree with 17 fronds and an outer barrier island.

The sub-sea tunnel that connects the tip of the palm fronds to the outer island is approaching completion. As soon as it's finished and open to traffic, it will help to accelerate work of the projects on this part of the development, which includes 20 new hotels. With hotel occupancy rates in Dubai at well over 80%, speed is of the essence.

The tunnel has three parts to it: two outer tunnels will be for vehicles and have pedestrian walkways. An interior cell will be reserved for emergency use and services. Construction on this tunnel began in October 2004 and is set to finish in summer 2007.

The Palm Trump International Hotel and Tower and The Atlantis are two of the hotels that will be on the islands. They are scheduled to open in 2009.

The Trump Hotel will be the luxury centerpiece of the Palm Golden Mile on the trunk of the islands. It will be a 60-story, five-star condo-hotel developed as a joint venture between Donald Trump's Trump Organization and Palm Developer Al Nakheel.

At the farthest point from land on the crescent island the other major hotel will be Atlantis, The Palm. It will be a 1,500 room destination resort with two wings spreading out from an Arabic- dome shaped arch. The property will be home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the Middle East, featuring 65,000 marine animals on display.