The 160 story building measures over 828 meters (2,717 feet); the height was released by Emaar, the developer, to add to the suspense on the Grand Opening. The name has also been changed to Burj Khalifa an acknowledgment of UAE President Khalifa Bin Zayed who has recently aided Dubai with its recent economic woes. Emaar, the developer, is partially owned by the government of Dubai. Dubai, one of seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates, was recently in the news when state run companies rocked the financial world by seeking ways to defer debt payments. According to an article at Bloomberg, state run companies may owe investors well over $80-90 billion dollars.

Dubai had attracted easy financing for several mega-construction projects during the global real-estate investment boom that had transformed its skyline in just a few short years. The global real estate boom and easy access to financing fueled mega projects like the Burh Al Arab, the world's tallest freestanding hotel, and The Palm Islands and The World Islands. However, as investor sentiment has waned, it seems that Dubai may have felt the need for an impressive opening of their grand skyscraper in order to return some investor confidence.