Nakheel, one of the world’s leading developers, on Thursday has announced the opening of a new link connecting Ibn Battuta Mall with the Dubai Metro, marking the completion of a Dh135-million ($37 million) expansion at the world’s largest themed shopping mall.

The Mall-Metro link is the second element of Nakheel’s Ibn Battuta Phase One expansion, which also includes a 300,000-sq-ft extension to the mall that officially opened earlier this year.

A second, 4.7-million sq ft expansion, is under way, said a statement from Nakheel.

"Today marks yet another major milestone for Nakheel and its rapidly-growing retail development portfolio," said Nakheel chairman Ali Rashid Lootah after officially opening the link.

"We continue to enhance and upgrade our existing malls with new facilities and attractions that benefit customers and retailers, while at the same time delivering a new and diverse range of retail and leisure developments," he noted.

The two-storey, 210-metre walkway means Dubai Metro and bus users can now directly access the mall and its 400 shops, restaurants and attractions.

The link itself features 90 new retail and dining outlets including a food court – the second at Ibn Battuta Mall – with around 20 restaurants.  

"Nakheel Malls’ project portfolio is set to become the largest in Dubai, with more than 17 million square feet of leasable space in operation or in the pipeline," stated Lootah.

With more than 20 million visitors a year, Ibn Battuta Mall is already one of Dubai’s ‘must-see’ destinations, said Nakheel.

The Metro link is a natural progression for Ibn Battuta that will inspire more people to discover its stunning architecture, intriguing history and retail offering – and encourage those who would normally use the car to switch to public transport, it added.-TradeArabia News Service