Emaar Properties has unveiled its latest expansion of The Dubai Mall, one of the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destinations, rolling out an unprecedented choice of world-class retail, residential, commercial and hospitality components.

The expansion is billed to give the city a quantum jump in its high-end shopping choices by bringing a high-street boulevard style retail destination that features personalised flagship stores of the world’s most renowned fashion brands as well as other leading lifestyle and entertainment brands.

Emaar will shortly launch the sale of luxury homes and serviced residences in the new development, further building on the robust demand for property in Dubai and the Downtown Dubai community, a statement from the company said.

Ahmad Al Matrooshi, managing director of Emaar Properties, said: “The Dubai Mall has established its central identity in the global retail sector by serving as the ultimate choice of shopping and leisure for nearly 2.5 billion people who are only a four-hour flying time from Dubai. We are now redefining the mall’s luxury lifestyle experience with the new expansion that will create a dynamic lifestyle hub in the heart of Downtown Dubai.”

“With the mall expansion to feature a modern hotel, luxury homes and serviced residences, designed to the world-class standards associated with Emaar, we are further contributing to strengthening Dubai’s powerful growth drivers – the tourism, retail, hospitality and business environments. Today, Dubai is the hub for business, leisure and tourism in the region, and our new expansion will establish the city as the world’s lifestyle capital.”

The highlight of the mall’s retail expansion is the creation of a spectacularly designed boulevard like high-end shopping strip that will feature personalised flagship stores of international brands, the statement said.

The retail, residential, commercial and hospitality components will all offer impressive views of The Dubai Fountain, the world’s tallest performing fountain, and Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

Residents and visitors become part of the vibrant Downtown Dubai lifestyle experience and will have direct access to the retail and leisure choices on Emaar Boulevard, billed to be one of the world’s most prestigious boulevards offering luxury retail and dining options, it said. The expansion will be linked to the entertainment and cinema district of the mall near The Address Downtown Dubai.

With the master-plan of the new expansion now finalised, work will begin shortly with the various components to be completed in phases.

The Dubai Mall is already the world’s most visited shopping and leisure destination having welcomed over 54 million visitors in 2011, and more than 44.5 million visitors from January to September, an increase of approximately 15 per cent compared to the same period last year.

With 1,200 retail stores and 160 F&B outlets, the mall has several world-class leisure attractions including Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, with thousands of aquatic animals; SEGA Republic, the largest of its kind indoor theme park; KidZania, the dedicated children’s city; Dubai Ice Rink, an Olympic-sized ice rink; and the 22-screen Reel Cinemas.

The Dubai Mall is centrally located in Downtown Dubai, the 500-acre mega development of Emaar described as ‘The Centre of Now.’ The Waterfront Promenade of the mall offers splendid views of The Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalfia, and is one of the must-visit tourist attractions in Dubai. – TradeArabia News Service