DUBAI, Nov. 4 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The Dubai Mall, opens today at 2pm with close to 600 retailers -- marking the world's largest-ever mall opening in retail history.
(PHOTO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081104/327266 )
Besides its retail attractions including the Middle East debut of several global brands such as Waitrose and Hamleys, The Dubai Mall has varied lifestyle and leisure offerings including a Gold Souk, the Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink and the Fashion Catwalk atrium. The Dubai Aquarium & Discovery Centre is already in the global spotlight having clinched the Guinness World Record for the 'World's Largest Acrylic Panel.'
The Dubai Mall is the flagship development of Emaar Malls Group, the shopping malls subsidiary of global property developer Emaar Properties. When fully operational, it will have over 1,200 stores. The retail mix includes two anchor department stores -- Galeries Lafayette and Bloomingdale's; 220 gold & jewellery outlets; 160 food & beverage outlets; a supermarket and an organic food mart.
Mr Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties added: "We are thankful to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai for encouraging us to stretch our business model, and create a shopping destination that is among the elite malls of the world. The Dubai Mall will address the world-class shopping needs of a population of over 2 billion people in the catchment markets of the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe."
Mr Jim Badour, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said: "With the opening of The Dubai Mall, we have the largest ever number of retailers together for the first time in a mall opening."
Mr Yousif Al Ali, General Manager, The Dubai Mall, added: "With The Dubai Mall, what matters is not the size but the qualitative difference that we offer to our visitors. Our world-class attractions will redefine the shopping mall experience."
Emaar's expansion into shopping malls is in line with its Vision 2010 to become one of the most valuable companies in the world. Emaar Malls Group has already opened Souk Al Bahar, a modern mall with Arabesque architectural features in Downtown Burj Dubai, and will open the Dubai Marina Mall, in the vibrant Dubai Marina in late 2008.
