Construction of the Mall of the Emirates (MoE) – among the most exciting retail and leisure complexes in the world – continues to move forward at an unprecedented rate and looks well on track to meet its target completion date of September 2005.

The Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Investments project, which occupies a distinct position in the area dubbed “New Dubai”, will house more than 400 shops and include 2.4 million sq ft of prime retail and leisure space, making it one of the biggest malls outside North America.
The mixed-use development will incorporate two hotels  (one of which will be operated by Kempinski,) a two-level family entertainment centre, indoor ski resort and a 500-seat community theatre.
Main contractors include Bu Haleeba Al-Jaber Grinaker, working on the Kempinski hotel, Al Naboodah Laing O’Rourke working on Ski Dubai, and Khansaheb Civil Engineering working on the mall itself and the second hotel.
Progress on one of the complex’s key features, Ski Dubai – the first snow dome and indoor ski resort in the Middle East – is clearly visible from the Sheikh Zayed Road and work is under way to install machinery for the generation of snow, which will be utilised within. The contractors have 5,000 men on site at any given time, working at optimum capacity. Due to its unique nature, the project has posed interesting design and construction challenges, in terms of the structural steelwork and superstructure required to create various ski experiences and build the “floating” upper section of the slope. Ski Dubai will feature one of the world’s longest indoor ski slopes and a play area where children and parents can have a true winter experience with real snow.
“This is one of the most ambitious mall projects in the world, certainly outside of North America,” says Peter Walichnowski, chief executive officer, Majid Al Futtaim Investments. “Even now the construction site illustrates the sheer scale of the project and the fact we are on schedule is testament to the commitment of the entire team.”

Mall
The Mall of the Emirates will feature key retail brands including the region’s largest Harvey Nichols department store, the largest Carrefour hypermarket in Dubai, the region’s largest Debenhams, six large furniture retailers, a Virgin Megastore totalling 24,000 sq ft and a 14-screen multiplex cinema, together with two food-courts, 25 restaurants and food outlets and 350 retail stores.
The mall will house international brands such as Zara, Mango, Massimo Dutti, Baby Shop, Splash, Shoe Mart, Starbucks, Next, River Island, Laura Ashley, Dorothy Perkins, Mothercare and Promod, helping cement Dubai’s reputation as the shopping capital of the Middle East and strengthening its position as one of the leading shopping destinations in the world.
“It is our retail partners that will ultimately bring success to our project and signs are already positive that the new mall will be as successful as the existing shopping centres in the region,” continues Walichnowski. “However, while a strong mix or international brand names is a key ingredient, we know that there is a lot more to long-term success than shopping alone, which is why Mall of the Emirates is designed to provide the optimum mix of leisure and entertainment facilities, alongside its impressive line-up of shops.”
Entertainment features at the mall include an extensive family entertainment centre – Magic Planet – and the Dubai Community Theatre and Art Centre (believed to be the region’s first modern, non-profit theatre), which will feature a two-level theatre that accommodates over 500 individuals, a 150 flexible seat studio, rehearsal spaces, along with various art galleries, photography exhibitions, and photo classrooms and darkrooms, as well as a music school, offering courses in visual arts and music.
Offering a complete range of cultural performances and activities such as dance, drama, painting, photography and writing, the arts and theatre complex will occupy 3,000 sq m at the MoE.
“We are at a stage in time where we are building history. The Dubai Community Theatre and Art Centre offers activities for people of all ages and backgrounds,” says Walichnowski, “A development of such a stature is the first creative community centre for all of Dubai.”

Ski Dubai
Scheduled to open alongside the mall, Ski Dubai will provide visitors to Mall of the Emirates with a total snow experience. In addition to the world’s third longest indoor ski run, Ski Dubai’s Snow Park will offer features and activities that include tobogganing hills, twin-track bobsled racing and snowball shooting gallery, to name a few. The 3,000 sq m park will recreate an authentic mountain environment with frozen waterfalls, rocky outcrops, and tree formations. Top-of-the-line infrastructure will include quad chairlifts, button lifts, a state-of-the-art ticketing system and qualified professional instructors.
“Although there will be many reasons to visit the MoE, Ski Dubai will be the key attraction, being the first of its kind in the region,” says Walichnowski.
When complete, the resort will feature five different multidirectional ski runs with a number of slope gradients, a dedicated learner’s area, snowboard stunt park and quarter pipe.
“Ski Dubai will include a wonderland play area, where children from the region will be able to experience snow for the first time in the world’s largest indoor snow play area,” he says. “Fresh snow will be produced daily to offer ideal skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing conditions and temperatures within the Snow Park will be maintained at a comfortable -1 to -2 deg C.”
“The technology used to make the snow is the proven Acer Snowmec system which creates snow in flight through the air, the same way snow is formed in nature, feeling and tasting just like “wild snow,” he explains. “Liquid water is atomised to create a cloud inside the building, this cloud is then ‘seeded’ with tiny hard ice particles which nucleates the cloud from which snow crystals form and fall.”
Special design features create an insulated box around the slope and cool the snow on the slope from within, helping to make snow in the desert not just possible but economical and efficient,” he adds.
“Our aim is to provide an introduction to snow for all ages and all skill levels. The addition of the Snow Park area gives everyone, young and old, the opportunity to just play in real snow, partake in fun activities and enjoy the unique surroundings,” says Phil Taylor, chief executive of Ski Dubai. “The project will provide something for the snow enthusiast and for the less energetically inclined, Snow Park will have a large observation tower, offering a view of the entire resort, including the skiers and snowboarders on the slopes. At the mountainside cafes, visitors will be able to sit comfortably with family and friends and watch the action on the slopes. Ski Dubai will also feature private party rooms for those looking for a unique and memorable venue for their special occasions.

Hotels
At the bottom of Ski Dubai and linked directly to the West end of the mall is the 400-room five-star Kempinski hotel which, when it opens at the end of 2005, will offer visitors stunning views of the ski slopes as well as five-star dining and leisure facilities.
At the East end of the mall, a 500-room four-star hotel will open at the end of 2006. 
Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Investments brings with it almost a decade’s experience in building, leasing and operating shopping malls in the Middle East. With more than 90 per cent of the floor space of the MoE already leased out, the developers anticipate a footfall of 32 million annually, which will bring it in the league of top performing centres in the world.