Dubai launches Mall of the World

Dubai: Dubai is bundling a lot of “world firsts” for the Mall of the World development – its most ambitious project since the emirate’s economic revival began in earnest since early 2012. The project is to be the retail and hospitality showpiece development for the Expo 2020 in Dubai, alongside the planned mega convention centre and related infrastructure that will be rolling out of the design board shortly. The Mall of the World is to be located along Shaikh Zayed Road. But in its conceptualization, the project – which will be managed by Dubai Holding - will be nothing less than a city-within-a-city and also include 100 hotels . The development will be staggered along multiple phases. The cost of the build-up has not been revealed. Apart from being the largest mall in the making by occupying 8 million square feet, it is being billed as the world’s first “temperature-controlled (pedestrian) city” and with a 48 million square feet spread. This will be through a glass dome enclosure that will be open up during the winter months, a high season for the city’s retail, leisure and hospitality sectors. On completion, it will be a year-round destination that is projected to pull in 180 million visitors annually. “This project complements our plans to transform Dubai into a cultural, tourist and economic hub for the 2 billion people living in the region around us; and we are determined to achieve our vision,” said His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in a statement announcing the launch. Gulf News