Nakheel confirms retail bookings at Al Khail Avenue mall
Developer signs Alshaya group brands for 100,000 sq ft of space at 1.2m sq ft facility
Nakheel Malls has signed Middle East retail giant Alshaya for 25 brands across 100,000 square feet of space at its upcoming Al Khail Avenue mall in Dubai’s Jumeirah Village area.
The Dubai-based real estate giant said in a statement that more than 75% of shop space is now booked at the mall, which is currently under construction along Dubai’s Al Khail Road on the eastern edge of Nakheel’s Jumeirah Village Triangle community. Set for completion in 2018, the mall has a planned 1.2 million sq ft of retail space containing 350 shops, a 14-screen cinema complex and a several dining outlets. It will also be attached to a 256-room hotel to be managed by Hilton under the DoubleTree by Hilton brand, which Nakheel confirmed in August last year.
The statement added that more retail deals are in the pipeline at the mall with Dubai-based Landmark Group and Al Tayer Group confirming that they will occupy 275,000 sq ft between them.
The mall will feature Alshaya’s popular fashion, lifestyle and food brands, including Debenhams, H&M, Mothercare, Muji, Foot Locker, American Eagle Outfitters, Boots, P.F. Chang’s and IHOP. Nakheel already has a long-standing relationship with Alshaya, which has extensive retail space at Ibn Battuta Mall and is exploring further opportunities at other Nakheel retail developments, the statement added.
Among the Landmark Group and Al Tayer Group brands to feature in the mall will be Home Centre, Centrepoint, Reiss, Fun City, Gap, Banana Republic and Mamas & Papas. Waitrose and Reel Cinemas are also signed up, Nakheel added.
Omar Khoory, director of Nakheel Malls, said: “We are delighted to further cement our long-standing partnership with Alshaya by welcoming them to Al Khail Avenue. Al Khail Avenue is a magnet for some of the biggest names in shopping, dining and entertainment, and our latest collaboration with Alshaya proves that retail space continues to be very much in demand from both an industry and consumer perspective.
“The mall’s strategic location – amidst several established or rapidly-developing residential communities and close to commercial hubs including JAFZA and Dubai World Central – makes it the ideal shopping venue for people living in the vicinity, and a new destination for Dubai’s wider residential, business and tourism communities.”
John Hadden, senior vice president, Retail Property, at Alshaya, said: “We’re pleased to be extending our partnership with Nakheel, who have an excellent understanding of the dynamics of the market. The scale and location of Al Khail Avenue mall creates a great opportunity for us to extend the reach of our portfolio of well-loved international brands to more customers in the UAE, and we look forward to working with Nakheel to deliver more world-class shopping and dining choices.”
Nakheel also said in the statement that its retail project portfolio is set to become the biggest in the UAE with over 17 million sq ft of leasable space in operation or under development. Malls in operation include Ibn Battuta, Dragon Mart 1 and 2 and Golden Mile Galleria, with several others across Dubai at various stages of construction or development.
