Leading real estate developer Nakheel Properties will start construction of the proposed Dh2.5 billion ($0.68 billion) integrated retail, dining, entertainment and hotel complex – Nakheel Mall – soon for  completion in 2016.

The mall, which will be constructed in the heart of Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah, is already drawing interest from global and local retailers. It will cover more than 424,000 sq m – enough to house over 40 international football fields – including five retail levels and three basement parking levels.

It will include almost 100,000 sq m of retail space, 4,000 parking bays, a 1,000 sq m indoor garden and a 180 m high viewing deck with panoramic views of Palm Jumeirah and the Dubai skyline, a statement from Nakheel said.

The mall will contain nearly 200 shops, including a 4,200 sq m supermarket and two anchor department stores, a nine-screen cinema and six medical clinics.

There will also be an outdoor roof plaza with extensive food and beverage outlets, with additional restaurants and cafes – including a food court – inside the complex.

The project plan also includes a five star hotel – with direct access to Nakheel Mall – featuring 200 rooms, 200 apartments and a rooftop swimming pool, restaurant and lounge.

Ali Rashid Lootah, chairman of Nakheel, said: “Nakheel Mall will bring a new dimension to shopping, dining and leisure in Dubai.  It will enhance the services and facilities available to residents of Palm Jumeirah, and provide an exciting new destination for people in across the UAE, including the millions of tourists who visit our country each year.”

Nakheel Mall is designed for easy access by various modes of transport. It will have its own Palm Jumeirah Monorail station, and will be directly linked to the Palm’s Marina Residences towers through a series of underground walkways. There will also be a three-level basement car park. – TradeArabia News Service