Nakheel signs MoU with Emirates Leisure Retail to develop facilities on The Palm Jumeirah

The clubhouses will offer a range of facilities including general stores, ATMs, coffee shops, spa, kids' clubs, hairdressers and nail bars. Each clubhouse will have a unique restaurant or bar with a Mediterranean, Australian, Asian or South American theme. Every clubhouse will also have a gym which is set to open in the next few weeks.

Nakheel has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Emirates Leisure Retail, part of The Emirates Group, to fit out and operate the clubhouses and associated retail, with a view to commencing clubhouse operation by the end of this year.

The retail and leisure facilities will initially be spread across four out of the five Shoreline clubhouses. Membership of the clubhouses will be offered to Shoreline Apartments residents, while the general public will be able to access and enjoy the surrounding retail and restaurant amenities.

The handover of property in Phase 1 of The Palm Jumeirah is currently ongoing with more than 1,200 properties handed over to residents and more than 500 families already living on the island.

Chris O'Donnell, Nakheel CEO, said: 'We are delighted that progress on leisure and retail facilities for the residents of the Shoreline Apartments continues to move apace. At the end of last year we welcomed the very first residents onto The Palm Jumeirah and we are now at the stage where hundreds of families have moved into their new home and a vibrant community is beginning to develop that requires the very best in retail and leisure facilities.'

Richard Hollands, Emirates Leisure Retail CEO, said: 'Emirates Leisure Retail is extremely pleased to be working with Nakheel to deliver key facilities on such a landmark project. Emirates Leisure Retail and Nakheel share the same vision and are dedicated to delivering the highest standards of quality for the residents of The Palm Jumeirah.'

The Palm Jumeirah is currently the world's largest man-made island covering 560 hectares of land dedicated to residential, tourism, leisure and retail developments. Synonymous with Dubai's vision of the future, The Palm Jumeirah is an iconic landmark which during the next five to six years will become one of the world's premier resorts, offering more than 30 beach front hotels as well as a wealth of retail and leisure choices.