The Dubai Mall to open on August 28, 2008

This was announced at a retailer reception hosted recently at the mall premises, attended by over 700 guests including Mr Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties PJSC, key senior management, government officials and retailers who have leased space within The Dubai Mall.

Addressing the retailers, Mr Mohamed Ali Alabbar said that The Dubai Mall will be a premier lifestyle destination of choice for Dubai's huge catchment area across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Indian Subcontinent. "Burj Dubai and The Dubai Mall are strong building blocks of Dubai's growth, and The Dubai Mall will bring to Dubai and its business economy a strong platform for sustainable growth."

Mr Alabbar added: "Business growth is about seizing the right opportunity at the right time. With The Dubai Mall, we are creating a unique combination of several niche malls. In the very first year, we expect 30 million visitors to the mall."

One of the world's largest shopping and entertainment destinations, The Dubai Mall has a total internal floor area of 5.9 million sq ft and gross leasable space of 3.77 million sq ft, which is equivalent to the size of 50 football fields put together. The mall will feature over 1,200 stores, including two anchor department stores and 120 food & beverage outlets.

Mr Jim Badour, CEO of Emaar Malls Group, said: "The Dubai Mall is located in the heart of the Downtown Burj Dubai master planned community where some of the world's most iconic structures are being developed including Burj Dubai. The Dubai Mall will revolutionise the modern shopping experience by introducing several new and innovative leisure and entertainment concepts to the region. We are creating a new lifestyle destination that will energise the retail, tourism and consumer audiences."

Mr Yousif Al Ali, General Manager, The Dubai Mall, explained: "We are on-schedule for the completion of The Dubai Mall for August 28 with finishing works progressing on the entire site. To provide optimum support for our retailers, The Dubai Department of Economic Development has opened up an office at the mall, and we have placed The Dubai Mall Retail Delivery and Asset Management teams on-site. Emaar Malls Group is committed to deliver the August 28 opening. We ask for the continued partnership and commitment of our retailers to ensure we meet this date."

The key components of the mall include one of the world's largest indoor Aquariums featuring 33,000 living animals; the world's largest indoor Gold Souk with 220 retailers; the Middle East's first Galeries Lafayette department store; an Olympic-size ice rink; and The Grove, an indoor-outdoor streetscape with fully retractable roof, will open on August 28, along with the 14,000 covered car parking facility. The entertainment section comprising the region's first SEGA indoor theme park; KidZania, an 80,000 sq ft children's 'edu-tainment' centre and a 22-screen cineplex, will open later this year as completion requires a dust-free environment.

Emaar Malls Group, the shopping mall business subsidiary of Emaar, is also developing Dubai Marina Mall within Dubai Marina community; Cairo Gate - Egypt's largest outdoor shopping and entertainment destination; and a number of shopping centres within Emaar's master-planned communities globally.