The Developers, a consortium of Abu Dhabi’s leading business figures, will open the doors to the 250,000 sq m Dalma Mall, the largest shopping mall in UAE capital Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Situated opposite Mohamad Bin Zayed City at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s growth corridor, Dalma Mall will, at full capacity, feature over 480 stores covering 147,000 sq m of retail space, said a top official.

“With over 480 retail stores and an impressive array of entertainment and dining facilities, Dalma Mall is set to become the shopping destination of choice for residents across the emirate of Abu Dhabi,” said Mark Adams, general manager of Dalma Mall.

'With over 62 per cent of the mall’s total retail space already leased out and a further 35 per cent under negotiation, a number of selected retailers are expected to open their doors to the public during the soft opening on October 10,' Adams noted.

The remaining tenants will move in upon completion of the design and fit-out of their respective stores, he added.

Marking an exciting new addition to Abu Dhabi’s burgeoning retail and leisure landscape, Dalma Mall will see more stores opening that will complement its currently trading anchor stores such as Carrefour, Home Center, Centrepoint, and Matalan.

“Dalma Mall is a shopping centre targeted mainly at the many new residential communities in Abu Dhabi that are grossly under-serviced,” he added.

Saeed Al Mulla, CEO of The Developers, said, 'The exponential growth of the emirate over the last five years - with numerous residential communities coming up in areas surrounding the new capital district and a corresponding increase in the percentage of working-age people with significant disposable income - has created considerable demand for world-class retail and leisure destinations.”

“Dalma Mall seeks to address this supply shortfall, and is positioning itself as the primary shopping centre for residents from Raha Beach, Khalifa City, Mohamed Bin Zayed City, Officer’s Club, Mafraq, Bani Yas and more,” he added.

“Being situated a mere 20 minutes from the city centre and right at the heart of the emirate’s growth corridor, Dalma Mall is positioned to serve Abu Dhabi’s burgeoning residential community well into the future,” Adams said.

“We are hoping to attract around 40,000 visitors a day on weekdays and 60,000 visitors a day on weekends by end-2011, when we expect the mall to be at full capacity,” he added.

Dalma Mall has a total built-up area of 250,000 sq m. The mall, at full capacity, will feature a host of attractions and entertainment facilities including a 14-screen cinema, Fun City and specialty retail stores, in addition to a wide range of restaurants and cafes offering the finest culinary treats from around the world.

It is home to the biggest Carrefour Hypermarket in Abu Dhabi, and boasts an extensive, conveniently located parkade with over 7,500 covered car parking spaces.-TradeArabia News Service