United Arab Emirates ? America’s Universal Studios will develop its fourth theme park with a $2.2 billion project in the Middle East boomtown of Dubai, a government-held firm has announced.

Tatweer, a government-owned developer, said it would partner with the Hollywood-based film studio’s resorts arm to develop the facility.

It will be modeled after Universal’s theme parks in Florida, California and Japan, offering Mideast vacationers attractions designed by creative consultant Steven Spielberg and based on the movies such as King Kong and Jurassic Park.

The 6.5 million square-foot facility, described by Tatweer as one of the world’s largest, will be the centerpiece of a gargantuan park dubbed Dubailand, which is being built on the city’s desert outskirts.

Dubailand itself is being developed as an Orlando-style entertainment zone with several other amusement parks, offices and housing.

Universal City Dubai expects to lure visitors from Asia, Europe and elsewhere in the Middle East when its first phase is completed around 2010.

Given the searing summer temperatures in Dubai – Tuesday’s high was 98 degrees Fahrenheit – most of the resort will be indoors.