"It is going to help regenerate the region - it is a Phoenix rising from the ashes"
-Richard Swain

Almost seems to take on a different symbolism with those words thrown in. "...will also give details of the earth's rotation.", what don't we already know about the rotation? Impressive as it is, the rejuvination ofinterest in Egyption design and the contruction of buildings in such large size, brings my attention to Babylons past, as well as it's many reincarnations.

maybe we need a giant sundial because sometime in the near future, all our technology will fail and we will have to resort to sundials to keep time again.

seriously no, I have no clue, but I do wonder why we need such a thing?

Whether you question the motives of the designers or not, it does make you think a little about other megalithic structures around the world.

Were any of them built to attract tourism and trade for their region?

I believe that one of the Ancient Wonders, the Colossus of Rhodes, was built for similar reasoning, wasn't it?