Eagle Hills and Emaar Entertainment form JV to develop aquarium and underwater zoo in Bahrain

Abu Dhabi-based developer Eagle Hills and Emaar Entertainment have formed a joint venture to develop an aquarium and underwater zoo at Marassi Galleria shopping mall in Bahrain. The total investment in the project was not disclosed.

Operated by Emaar Entertainment, a subsidiary of Emaar Properties, Marassi Aquarium and Underwater Zoo will feature a 20-foot-long “digital tunnel” with interactive digital exhibits. The aquarium will also house four different ecological zones including the ‘Rainforest', the ‘Ocean Trench’, the ‘Jellyfish’ and the ‘Reef Zone'.

“As the latest addition to Emaar Entertainment's diverse portfolio of offerings, Marassi Aquarium and Underwater Zoo will provide innovative experiences to suit individuals and groups,” Ahmad Al Matrooshi, managing director of Emaar Properties, said.  “This comes in line with our commitment to developing unparalleled attractions across the MENA region.”

Marassi Galleria mall forms part of 875,000 square metre Marassi Al Bahrain development, a joint venture project between Eagle Hills and Bahrain’s Diyar Al Muharraq that was launched in 2016. The waterfront site includes 6,000 residential apartments, 245,000 sq m of retail space and two hotels.

In March this year, the joint venture partners said Marassi Galleria – a 200,000 sq m shopping centre that will have 560 stores spread over three floors – will open in June next year.

Eagle Hills is currently involved in a number of developments in Croatia, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Ethiopia, Serbia, Oman and the UAE. Mohamed Alabbar of Emaar Properties is the chairman of Eagle Hills.

Emaar Entertainment manages facilities including Reel cinemas, Dubai ice rink, Dubai aquarium and underwater zoo, KidZania and others. The company is aiming to build its portfolio through strategic global alliances, joint ventures, franchises and licences with premium brands in the UAE and across the MENA region.

"Partnering with notable entities such as Emaar Entertainment further cements the mall’s reputation as one of the kingdom’s highly anticipated destinations, and we are confident that Marassi Aquarium and Underwater Zoo will play a key role in both the local and regional tourism sectors," Low Ping, chief executive of Eagle Hills, said.