Hamdan opens Mall of the Emirates
The impressive Mall offers the public shopping, entertainment and skiing all in one place. located on Sheikh Zayed road in Dubai, the Mall houses over 2.4 million square feet of prime shopping, leisure and entertainment space, positioning it as one of the largest malls outside North America. It also includes the Dubai Community Theatre & Art Centre which provides a platform for shoppers and visitors to bring back culture, art and music into their lives, a 14-screen multiplex cinema, over 350 retailers, five stars hotels and over 65 restaurants.
Sheikh Hamdan, accompanied by General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, cut the traditional red ribbon announcing the official opening of the mega mall. He then toured various department stores and facilities including the 400 metre long ski slope with varying terrain, a snow area the size of three football fields, over 6000 tons of real snow at any given time and a full capacity of 1500 guests It is the region's first indoor ski resort, featuring one of the world's longest indoor ski slopes, the mall has taken on a new identity, positioned as a destination in itself within the region.
Retail developer Majid al Futtaim Investments has said the snow park will be the world's first alpine-themed, all-inclusive indoor ski resort, third longest indoor slopes in the world and the first of its kind in the Middle East.
Ski Dubai will feature five different ski runs, a dedicated learners area, snowboard stunt park and quarter pipe, as well as a 3000 square metre snow play area, where many children from the region will be able to experience snow for the first time.
Sheikh Hamdan said that he was pleased the investment were being channeled into local tourism projects like the Mall of the Emirates which he termed as a tourism landmark in Dubai.
He said the Mall would no doubt give a big boost to shopping and tourism sectors in the UAE.
''The UAE is one of the leading Arab countries which encourages and supports local investment, providing all facilities and factors for growth and economic feasibility,'' he said in statement following his over 60-minutes tour of the mall.
He also praised businessmen who diversify their investment portfolios in order to create job opportunities for UAE nationals.
Sheikh Mohammed stressed the need for expansion and diversification of the private sector investment in order to attract qualified young nationals who will constitute a key influential factor in competition and innovation.
He termed the mall as a local, regional and global leisure and entertainment centre.
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