Al Mazaya Holding said preparation for the grand opening of its 7 Zones project in Kuwait is nearing completion, and that it has obtained all the necessary approvals and installed electricity in the project.

The company, together with the investors and leasers, agreed to launch 7 Zones in March 2010 while completing other details set out during the project's initial design. Several store owners have already begun decorating and furnishing their stores and moving in their goods in preparation for the grand opening.

'Despite the global economic downturn that has halted numerous projects, we decided to continue with the development of our projects, including 7 Zones, which was completed in May last year and only needed approvals, although these did take some time to obtain,' said Salwa Malhas, EVP at Al Mazaya Holding.

'After extensive consultation with the traders, investors and leasers, we decided that 7 Zones will be launched in one phase, culminating with a celebration that will include investors, traders and Al Mazaya, since 7 Zones is the first project of its kind in the region, and numerous similar projects based on this same model will be built in the GCC region,' she added.

Malhas went on to say that the electricity-related approvals took some time to obtain, but that Al Mazaya has now completed the electricity linking procedures and related tests.

7 Zones has managed to attract some of the biggest names in the construction field, and Al Mazaya is currently negotiating with several companies looking to join the 7 Zones franchise, with some negotiations entering final stages.

7 Zones is located in the Al Shuwaikh Industrial Area, one of the most popular districts in Kuwait, distinguished for its proximity to the country's capital, Al Shuwaikh port and the Free Trade Zone.

Covering an area of 22,500 sqm, 7 Zones is intended to close the gaps between different areas in the property sector through providing quality services such as parking, construction materials, offices, exhibition areas, storage, a specialised department for internal and external decor, and offices for investors and contractors to cater for the needs of their target markets.-Reuters