Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties is building a signature 700-shop super mall as part of the emirate’s premier retail and leisure destination at Yas Island.

The developer unveiled detailed plans for the mall – for which piling works had started earlier in the year – at last month’s Mapic real estate exhibition in Cannes, France.
The Yas Mall will provide in excess of 700 retail and catering units including four major department stores and six hotels, serving not only the local and regional markets but also the millions of tourists visiting Yas Island’s host of tourist and leisure attractions, including the world’s first Ferrari Theme Park, a water park and the 2009 Formula 1 Yas Marina Circuit which will host the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November 2009.
“The mall will serve one of the most affluent populations in the world, with Abu Dhabi already ranking among the world’s top list in terms of GDP per capita. The capital’s local population is expected to increase by 40 per cent in the next five years. By then, Abu Dhabi hopes to draw some 2.7 million tourists,” commented Aldar chief commercial officer Mohammed Al Mubarak.
The mall will feature a line-up of leading brand names from around the world, along with the world’s most dazzling video and water displays.
On completion in 2011, the mall’s retail area will amount to some 460,000  sq m and together with the adjoining theme parks will total a massive 780,000 sq m of retail and leisure.
Yas Mall will be directly connected to the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi theme park and the water park.  There will be high-level dining terraces and garden areas as well as a lush interior environment and beautiful water features, all contained under the one spectacular roof.