Iraqi developers said Monday they have launched a $350 million project to build a lush "mini-city" in the relative safety of the war-wracked country's northern Kurdish region. The development of "Empire World" in the Kurdish capital of Arbil is designed to "show some hope and some opportunities" in Iraqi Kurdistan, said Michel Hebert, CEO of the Iraqi-owned group Empire Holdings which is behind the venture. Empire World, which broke ground in June, covers 750,000 square meters of integrated commercial, residential, hotel and leisure facilities in a "mini-city" allinclusive environment, Canadian-born Hebert told reporters in Dubai. "The site is designed to provide its users with the latest and most sophisticated technology and services," and will feature two towers, one providing office space and the other housing a luxury hotel, Hebert said. The project will cost $350 million over eight years, he said, describing Kurdistan as "safe and secure, with a booming investment environment and a diversified economy." Original news