The Burj Khalifa hosted the New Year's Eve fireworks display marking its opening in Dubai in 2010.
The skyscraper officially opened on January 4, 2010, in a ceremony featuring a large fireworks and light display. At 828 meters, it became the world's tallest building, and its opening celebrations emphasized that record-setting height. The structure was known as Burj Dubai during construction and was renamed Burj Khalifa shortly before the inauguration.
The tower quickly became a central feature of Dubai's annual New Year's Eve spectacle. Displays have combined fireworks, lasers, LED illumination, and synchronized music, with the facade itself used as a giant screen. The surrounding Downtown Dubai area attracts large crowds and is also widely viewed through international broadcasts.
The Burj Khalifa is sometimes confused with the Burj Al Arab, another famous Dubai landmark. The Burj Al Arab is a sail-shaped hotel, while the Burj Khalifa is the needle-topped skyscraper associated with the record height and midnight displays.