Construction has begun in Dubai on the biggest retail mall in the world outside the US.
The 2.4 million sq ft (222,960 sq m) project is being masterminded by ex-Bluewater and Land Securities chief Peter Walichnowski.
Walichnowski is now chief executive of Majid Al Futtaim Investments, the developer responsible for the Mall of the Emirates.
When it opens in 2005, the retail mall will have more than 350 shops, restaurants and cafes.
Although it is nearly two years from opening, more than 50 per cent of the space is already let to some of the Middle East's leading retailers and international brands, including Carrefour, Landmark, Zara, Mango and Virgin Megastores.
Walichnowski said he is close to agreeing a deal to pre-let one of the two full-line anchor department stores to an international brand.
'We have found that international brands almost always operate in this region through franchises, so we have been able to do unit deals locally, sometimes with operators taking five or even up to 10 units at a time,' he said.
Overall, the project will have 6.5 million sq ft (603,850 sq m) of built space, including the Middle East's first indoor ski slope and a 400-suite five-star hotel.
'Forget the word shopping mall,' said Walichnowski. 'This is going to be a resort destination.'
To help differentiate the scheme in the increasingly competitive Gulf market, Walichnowski has brought in branding guru Jeff Klein, who created the Bluewater identity.
Klein's brief is to promote the Mall of the Emirates as a global shopping and leisure destination, focusing on the 10 million tourists that already visit Dubai each year.
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