Majid Al Futtaim breaks ground of its largest destination in Abu Dhabi: City Centre Al Jazira

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs of the UAE, President of Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club and Vice Chairman of the Honorary Authority, Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club and Majid Al Futtaim - the Middle East, Africa and Asia’s leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer- officially broke ground today of City Centre Al Jazira, the new AED 1.4 billion lifestyle destination coming to Abu Dhabi. The new project will bring to the capital an integrated shopping, lifestyle and entertainment destination, contributing to Abu Dhabi’s vision that aims to develop a competitive, sustainable and globally open economy.

The official groundbreaking ceremony gathered HE Saeed Mohamed Bin Butti Al Qebaisi, Chairman of Al Jazira Investment, Mohammed Haji Khouri, Vice-Chairman of Al Jazira Investment and the Chairman of City Centre Al Jazira and members of Al Jazira Investment board with senior representatives of Majid Al Futtaim, Alain Bejjani, Chief Executive Officer at Majid Al Futtaim – Holding, Robert Welanetz, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim - Properties, Ghaith Shocair, Chief Executive Officer, Shopping Malls at Majid Al Futtaim Properties, and senior representative of Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club, Mohammed Haji Khouri, Vice-Chairman of Al Jazira Investment at Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club and Chairman of the joint venture.

Strategically located in the heart of Abu Dhabi, between Airport Road and Al Muroor Road, City Centre Al Jazira will showcase beautiful architecture and design and will include 153 retail stores, a Carrefour Hypermarket, a Magic Planet family entertainment destination, a fitness centre, as well as indoor and alfresco dining choices. Total leasable area is expected to be 80,500 sqm within a built-up area of 215,000 sqm.

“Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club is a well-established name. We believe in empowering our community, and we are thrilled to partner with Majid Al Futtaim which will allow us to have the opportunity to have a major role in building a new lifestyle destination in the heart of Abu Dhabi,” said Saeed Mohamed Bin Butti Al Qebaisi, Chairman of Al Jazira Investment, the official investor of all Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club assets.

Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club is one of the famous names in the capital of UAE and it is very popular among the youth. We’re delighted to partner as investors and strategic partners with Majid Al Futtaim to build City Centre Al Jazira. We trust that this new lifestyle destination will offer Abu Dhabi and its visitors unparalleled experiences,” said Mohammed Haji Khouri, Vice-Chairman of Al Jazira Investment and the Chairman of City Centre Al Jazira

“We are delighted to partner with Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club to bring our first ever City Centre mall, City Centre Al Jazira to the capital. Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club is a well-established and respected institution, and we hope that together, we will be creating great moments, for everyone, everyday, for the capital’s communities,” said Ghaith Shocair, Chief Executive Officer, Shopping Malls, Majid Al Futtaim - Properties.

“City Centre Al Jazira will be Majid Al Futtaim’s first super-regional mall in the capital. The UAE capital is enjoying prolific developments with its residential market, world-class infrastructure development projects from transportation, to museums and healthcare, which is positioning Abu Dhabi as a key market for us” added Shocair.

Construction of City Centre Al Jazira is on track and forging ahead, with contractor appointed to deliver the enabling works which are starting this month. The new super-regional mall is scheduled to open its doors in early 2021.

City Centre Al Jazira is Majid Al Futtaim’s latest indications of investment into Abu Dhabi’s shopping and entertainment landscape, underscoring the company’s leadership in the country’s retail and leisure sector. The project is part of Majid Al Futtaim’s announcement made in June 2016 to increase its total investment in the UAE by AED 30 billion by 2026, taking its total investment in the country to AED 48 billion.

In addition to City Centre Al Jazira, which is Majid Al Futtaim’s first City Centre mall in the capital, the company recently announced the up-coming My City Centre Masdar, set to open by 2019 in the capital. The projects reiterate Majid Al Futtaim’s leadership in the UAE’s retail and entertainment landscape, contributing to the growth of the country’s economy.