Aldar to build shopping centre in Al Ruwais

Abu Dhabi: Aldar Properties said on Monday it is launching a Dh500 million double-storey shopping centre in the industrial city of Al Ruwais, located 240 kilometres west of Abu Dhabi.

The project will cater to Al Ruwais' growing population, which is expected to hit the 40,000 mark by 2010. The Al Ruwais shopping centre will have 99 retail outlets. There will be a supermarket, food and beverage outlets, a children's entertainment centre and a Warner Bros. cinema complex.

Schedule

"We are looking to complete phase 1 of the project by October 2010," Philip G. Vaughan, director of retail development at Aldar told Gulf News on the sidelines of a news conference here.

Ronald Stephen Barrott, Aldar's chief executive officer, said the project's second phase would commence next year and will be announced later this year.

Aldar's chairman Ahmad Ali Al Sayegh said: "Phase 2 could be double the cost of phase 1."

A senior Aldar executive said the cost of phase 2 has yet to be worked out as some elements of it are not yet known.

Barrott said the tenders for phase 1 will be invited soon and construction should begin by late Aug-ust this year.

"The project is part of our plan to develop other areas in the emirate of Abu Dhabi with development potential," Barrott said. "We will own the asset and lease the retail outlets," he added.

Barrott said the built-up area of the Al Ruwais shopping centre will be around 41,000 square metres.