Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi will more than double in size by 2012, giving the capital a much-needed increase in shopping options.
Mohammed Nauman Thakur, the general manager of Al Wahda Mall, said the extension would add 220 stores to the more than 150 now operating.
"Al Wahda is going to become a power mall," he said.
With the high spending power of those who live in the capital, and the growing number of tourists for events such as the Formula One Grand Prix, there is an undersupply of high-quality shopping malls, says the property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle.
Abu Dhabi had about 1.4 million square metres of leasable retail space at the end of the third quarter of this year and is short by an estimated 700,000 sq metres, the consultancy says.
"With the market currently undersupplied in terms of quality, many shoppers are shopping in neighbouring Dubai, resulting in a loss of opportunity for the Abu Dhabi retail market," Jones Lang LaSalle said in its third-quarter Abu Dhabi Real Estate Market Overview.
The occupancy rate in large regional malls is more than 95 per cent in the Abu Dhabi metropolitan area, the consultancy estimated.
"There is a waiting list for the very best quality malls as retailers seek to expand their reach in Abu Dhabi," it said in the report.
But there is a wave of supply on the horizon.
The newest addition is Dalma Mall in Musaffah. Dalma had a soft opening in early October and is slowly adding stores. The management of the mall expects that more than 80 per cent of its shops will be trading by the end of the first half of next year. Including Dalma Mall, another 200,000 sq metres of retail space will be available in the capital by early next year after the addition of projects such as Mushrif Mall on Airport Road and Paragon Mall on Reem Island. By the end of 2013, total retail space is expected to reach 2.4 million sq metres, the consultancy said.
This has led some retailers and analysts to worry about a Dubai-type oversupply in Abu Dhabi. Dubai had about 2.4 million sq metres of leasable retail space at the end of the third quarter, Jones Lang LaSalle said. The figure is forecast to reach 3 million sq metres by 2013.
Still, some projects in Abu Dhabi have been pushed back. Yas Mall has been scaled down and delayed until 2014, and Sorouh Real Estate's retail plans for Lulu Island have also been reworked.
David Dudley, the head of Jones Lang LaSalle's Abu Dhabi office, said the future retail market in the capital would still be competitive, and issues such as parking, mix of stores and location would be crucial. Poorer quality malls would suffer, he said.
"There is a lot of supply coming up, and so what will really matter is the right location," Mr Dudley said. "And I would say that Al Wahda is a well-located mall and surrounded by a good catchment area."
Mr Thakur said Al Wahda was also benefitting from continued strong business activity in the capital, which was bringing new residents and commuters from Dubai.
"A lot of people are coming and working in Abu Dhabi, and we're getting an advantage from that," he said.
Customer numbers have grown to between 25,000 and 28,000 on an average weekday, and between 35,000 and 40,000 on weekend days, he said.
The mall extension, already under construction behind the existing centre, will add 47,000 sq metres of leasable space to the 37,000 already in operation.
Mr Thakur said Al Wahda Mall, part of the EMKE Group, which runs Lulu hypermarkets, would start leasing in the coming months.
"There are a lot of retailers that have shown their interest … We definitely feel that there are so many brands that we can add."
aligaya@thenational.ae
Poacher
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The biog
Name: Greg Heinricks
From: Alberta, western Canada
Record fish: 56kg sailfish
Member of: International Game Fish Association
Company: Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The%20specs
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The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
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'Cheb%20Khaled'
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Results
- Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns
- Braun Strowman and Nicolas won the Raw Tag Team titles against Sheamus and Cesaro
- AJ Styles retained the WWE World Heavyweight title against Shinsuke Nakamura
- Nia Jax won the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
- Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
- The Undertaker beat John Cena
- The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos and New Day
- Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
- Jinder Mahal won the United States title against Randy Orton, Rusev and Bobby Roode
- Charlotte retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Asuka
- Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental title against The Miz and Finn Balor
- Naomi won the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
- Cedric Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight title against Mustafa Ali
- Matt Hardy won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal
