NIC unveils $816m Abu Dhabi mall expansion plan

UAE developer National Investment Corporation (NIC) has announced an ambitious Dh3-billion ($816 million) expansion programme for its retail venture Marina Mall Abu Dhabi, which will see an impressive portfolio of entertainment attractions being added to the enhance visitors' experience.

NIC, the breakwater developer and owner of Marina Mall Abu Dhabi, will start work on the 300,000-sq-m expansion in the second half of 2018, while a series of upgrades to the mall’s current facilities will begin in early 2018, said senior company officials at the ongoing RECon Middle East & North Africa 2017 Conference and Exhibition in Dubai. One of the largest annual retail industry event in the region, RECon Mena will run until October 31. In addition to the extension, NIC has revealed plans for a new promenade, Marina Walk, offering 546 m of prime waterfront views and 123,000 sq m of exciting leisure and entertainment experiences aimed at all ages in the community, including Abu Dhabi’s first skate park. Marina Walk’s 19,500 sq m of Gross Leasable Area (GLA) will also be home to a fabulous new dining precinct, boasting a brand-new restaurant tower that offers the Abu Dhabi community, and the area’s vast tourist population, an even greater overall experience at its unique location overlooking the Arabian Gulf, said the officials at the top retail event. Work on the prestigious promenade will also commence in the second half of 2018 and will focus on outdoor experiences, including 15,000 sq m of open park areas for community-led events, multiple water features, three helicopter pads and 900 additional parking spaces. Unveiling the big plans, Rami Chehabeddine, the chief investment officer, said: "The Marina Mall extension will begin with the South Block that will be home to a plethora of globally recognized brands, offering a range of luxury and high-end retail, F&B (food and beverages) dining facilities and a brand new residential tower." While the North Block will further build on the mall’s impressive portfolio of entertainment attractions that already houses a bowling alley, a 9-screen VOX cinema, Magic Planet and Bounce Abu Dhabi, the Middle East’s largest indoor trampoline park, he stated. "There is no dispute that Marina Mall’s location is unparalleled in Abu Dhabi as it is one of the iconic sites of the capital and this has been one of the key reasons for our continued success," remarked Chehabeddine. "These new plans will allow us to rejuvenate and heighten the experience we offer our customers for many years to come," he stated. “By adding to the incredible mix of shopping, dining and entertainment options we already offer as well as building an even greater environment for our customers we will reinforce our position as the destination of choice for people and families of all ages,” observed Chehabeddine. He said that in addition to the expansion plans, existing features within the current mall will also be upgraded, including the introduction of LED screens, renovation of current store front fixtures to open up the space, as well as enhancing the luxury area and the main entrance. Already a landmark of the emirate, the expansion project will see Marina Mall play a more prominent role in the government’s drive towards the Abu Dhabi Plan, helping to further strengthen the capital’s core economic sectors, including tourism, hospitality and retail