Even such unlikely-sounding events as the emirate's annual Shopping Festival seem to work.

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At the nearby Landao Department Store, sales topped 6.13 million RMB, nearly 1.5 million RMB above the record set at the height of this year's Spring Festival shopping season.

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Following the example of other billionaire NFL owners like Bob Craft and Jerry Jones, Benson and the state are teaming up to develop the Plaza Festival shopping area outside the stadium to capture even more cash.

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There will also be a janitors "walk-out" at the Westfield Shopping Mall, a march and street festival and an afternoon "bus tour of the San Francisco 1%, " according to a press release Monday from the San Francisco Labor Council, one of the organizations that is part of the effort.

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True to its name, the urban-themed festival offers performances not just in galleries and theaters, but also in restaurants, schools, shopping centers and on the street.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | Travel Watch