Work begins on Dubai’s record-breaking Meydan One Mall

Work has begun on record breaking Dubai retail development Meydan One Mall after a ground breaking ceremony last night.

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum officially launched the project, which is the centrepiece of the Meydan One mega development.

Read: Dubai’s Meydan to build world’s tallest residential tower, longest indoor ski slope

The mall will include the world’s largest dancing fountains, longest indoor ski slope, a 131,150-square -foot hypermarket and a 160m by 100m retractable skylight. It will also host 620 retail shops, with two major department stores and regional firsts, 100 food and beverage outlets and a 21-screen cinema with a food court.

Saeed Humaid Al Tayer, the chairman of state-owned developer Meydan, said the mall was scheduled for completion by 2020 as part of the first phase of the district.

A 400m central shopping strip, known as Central Canyon, will run down the middle of the mall and host high-end luxury brands with direct access from the road.

The dancing water fountain will be the largest in the world, at 380m in length, and the 1km indoor ski slope for skiing and snowboarding the world’s longest. It will have connections to four- and five-star hotels with direct access from the rooms.

Other attractions include a 258,300 square foot multi-purpose sports facility with fields and courts for football, basketball, volleyball, squash, racquetball, paddle ball, table tennis, badminton, indoor cricket, mixed martial arts, boxing, jogging and softball a baseball batting cage and a golf driving range.

There will also be outdoor football pitches, mountain bike, walking and running trails and skateboard and BMX parks.

The wider 40.4-million-square-foot Meydan One development is being built between Meydan and Al Khail Road and will become “Dubai’s number one attraction” when the first phase opens, according to Meydan.

It will house 83,000 residents, break at least seven world records and include a 711m residential tower, civic plaza, 4km canal, berth marina, 5.3km of bicycle and jogging tracks, a 9km boardwalk, 300m of beach and a heritage village.

Meydan’s other developments include the Meydan Racecourse, which was completed in 2010.