LuLu Group International, one of the top retailers in the Middle East, has announced the launch of a new 2.3-million-sq-ft shopping mall costing Dh1 billion ($272 million) at high-tech park Dubai Silicon Oasis in Dubai, UAE.

The foundation stone for the new state-of-the-art mall was laid by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), the regulatory body for Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated free zone technology park.

The ceremony was attended by Dr Mohammed Alzarooni, vice chairman and chief executive officer of DSOA, Yusuff Ali MA, chairman and managing director of LuLu Group International as well as senior management from DSOA, and the Lulu Group.

Leveraging best-in-class international standards and green building concepts, the Silicon Mall at Dubai Silicon Oasis will feature a futuristic façade that is set to serve as its unique value proposition. It will comprise sky-lit corridors for natural light harvesting on all floors. The mall will offer covered parking for up to 3,000 cars across two levels.

With easy and convenient access to the Dubai Expo site and the new Al Maktoum International Airport, the new shopping mall is poised to become a popular destination for both residents and tourists in Dubai’s vibrant retail landscape.

In addition to more than 300 international and local branded stores, and 12 anchor stores, the new shopping mall will also house the ever-popular LuLu Hypermarket and Department Store on two levels. Other key attractions include the biggest Family Entertainment Center spread across 70,000 sq ft and more than 50 F&B outlets and diverse entertainment and leisure offerings.

Dr Alzarooni said: “We are proud to announce that LuLu Group has chosen to locate its upcoming mega mall within the premises of this hi-tech park. Construction of the mall - which is currently underway - will be completed by 2020, an important year when the nation expects to welcome approximately 25 million visitors hoping to enjoy the Dubai Expo 2020 and other unique national experiences and sights.”

Dr Alzarooni concluded: “We are keen on providing the utmost support, which position DSOA as an integrated community for its visitors, employees, and residents. We are pleased today to lay the foundation stone of Silicon Mall, which is on track with consumers’ preferences of retail environments and the latest in sustainable infrastructure. We are pleased to host Silicon Mall, the LuLu Group’s newest shopping mall project. We believe it will provide residents and tourists of all ages with a unique shopping and entertainment experience. The new architectural project fits seamlessly with Dubai Silicon Oasis’s objective of driving constant innovation and creativity.”

Speaking to media at the ceremony, Yusuffali MA, said: “Silicon Mall is our most ambitious project in the UAE to date, and we intend to make it the most interesting and exciting mall in Dubai. Work on the project will be completed in a period of 30 months, just in time for the launch of Dubai Expo 2020.”

“The UAE is poised for strong economic growth and I am very optimistic about the future, especially for the retail industry. The far-sighted and visionary leadership of this great country has planned many game-changing and innovative initiatives and we are delighted to be a part of this incredible success story,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service