ir cling ▁Dow nt own ▁Dub ai , ▁the ▁ 3 . 5   km ▁road ▁was ▁previously ▁known ▁as ▁E ma ar ▁Bou lev ard ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁area ' s ▁developer . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁E ma ar ▁renamed ▁the ▁bou lev ard ▁to ▁pay ▁t ribute ▁to ▁His ▁High ness ▁She ikh ▁Moh ammed ▁bin ▁R ash id ▁Al ▁M akt ou m , ▁Vice - Pres ident ▁and ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁U AE ▁and ▁R uler ▁of ▁Dub ai . ▁The ▁thorough fare ▁is ▁famous ▁for ▁an ▁impress ive ▁array ▁of ▁restaur ants , ▁c af es , ▁and ▁out door ▁art ▁exhib itions ▁by ▁Art ▁E ma ar , ▁a ▁cultural ▁initi ative ▁of ▁E ma ar ▁Properties . ▁ ▁The ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁G ala ▁ ▁H eld ▁in ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁Dow nt own ▁Dub ai ▁every ▁year , ▁Dub ai ' s ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁G ala ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁celebrated ▁events ▁in ▁Dub ai . ▁The ▁celebr ation ▁usually ▁compr ises ▁a ▁massive ▁fire work ▁display ▁and ▁g athers ▁hundreds ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁residents ▁and ▁tour ists . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Bur j ▁K hal ifa ' s ▁owner ▁and ▁the ▁host ▁of ▁the ▁event , ▁E ma ar ▁hosted ▁a ▁special ▁light ▁and ▁las er ▁show ▁' Light ▁Up ▁ 2 0 1 8 ' ▁which ▁brought ▁in ▁over ▁a ▁million ▁visitors ▁and ▁reached ▁over ▁ 2 . 5