Dubai has launched the groundbreaking of the new Meydan One Mall development, which will feature 620 retail shops including two major department stores and a 131,150-sq-ft hypermarket as well as a retractable skylight.

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum broke the first ground for construction yesterday (March 16) during an evening ceremony attended by VIP guests and regional and international retailers.

Meydan chairman Saeed Humaid Al Tayer said: “In our vision for Meydan One, we have brought together all the wonders of a retail and leisure experience into one space, making this the number one destination for the UAE and indeed, the Middle East.  With construction now under way, the Meydan One Mall is scheduled to be completed by 2020, in line with Phase One of the Meydan One mega development.”

Customers will be able to enjoy the best brands from around the world, including new to the region and exclusive lines, and the mall will be the first to ever be constructed in close partnership with leading international retailers.  The Meydan Group has collaborated with a host of retailers since the inception of the mall to design spaces which exactly meet the brand requirements, meet their needs in maximising space and ensuring an unrivalled customer experience is offered.

High-end luxury brands will have a specially designated shopping strip at the 1,315-ft-long Central Canyon, directly accessible from the road.  With extra-large displays for highlighting haute couture trends of the season, the strip will be the most sought-after place to shop.

The unique retractable skylight, measuring 160 m by 100 m, will set Meydan One Mall apart from other retail destinations, offering al fresco dining and shopping to the thousands of visitors.

The largest dancing water fountain in the world will act as just one of the mall’s main attractions, measuring 380-m long, while the 1-km indoor ski slope will become the most popular spot for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts in the region. Participants can escape the heat any time of the year by enjoying an adrenaline-filled day in the snow, or enjoy the whole weekend at four- and five-star hotel rooms and apartments that are directly connected to the venue and live the snowy winter experience without ever leaving the Middle East.

The 258,300-sq-ft indoor multi-purpose sports facility will be located within the Meydan One Mall, providing regulation size sports fields and courts to cater to football, basketball, volleyball, squash, racquetball, paddle ball, table tennis, badminton, indoor cricket, mixed martial arts, boxing, jogging, softball, baseball batting cage and a golf driving range, while skiing and snowboarding will be facilitated on the indoor ski slope.

Outdoor sports options will include football pitches, mountain biking, walking and running trails, a skateboard park and a BMX park.

The mall will also feature more than 100 food and beverage outlets, a 21-screen cinema with a food court hosting an additional 20 outlets, as well as a 400-m Central Canyon flanked by a collection of flagship luxury stores.  It will be serviced by car parking facilities with more than 12,000 spaces.

The 40,406,320-sq-ft Meydan One development, located between Meydan and Al Khail Road, is set to become Dubai’s number one attraction when the first phase opens in 2020.  Home to more than 83,000 residents, it will break at least seven world records and feature the 711-m-tall Dubai One tower, the Meydan One Mall, a civic plaza with dancing water features, a 4-km canal, a berth marina, 5.3-km bicycle and jogging trails, a 9-km boardwalk, a 300-m-long beach and a one-of-a-kind heritage village.

Meydan’s vision began with the completion of the Meydan Racecourse in 2010 and was underlined by the group’s role in the development of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City, specifically District One, a collection of premium mansions and villas within the heart of new Dubai. The construction of Meydan One will complete the company’s commitment to helping create the future of Dubai through the development of attractive, family-oriented residential and lifestyle projects. – TradeArabia News Service