Al Maryah Central set for 2019 opening

Construction has been completed on the Al Maryah Central project, developer Gulf Related said yesterday, claiming that the mega mall will open its doors to the public in August 2019.

The mall has obtained its Building Completion Certificate, an important regulatory requirement that indicates the building has been inspected and approved, Gulf Related said in a statement.

Retailers and restaurants will now begin to move into the premises and design their spaces ahead of the mall’s opening on August 27, 2019.

The $1 billion (Dh3.7 billion) Al Maryah Central, located on Al Maryah Island, is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi-based Gulf Capital and the US-based Related Company.

Several delays

Plagued by delays, the mall has had its launch date pushed back several times.

In June 2017, the chief executive of Gulf Capital told Gulf News that the mall would be completed by the end of 2018. Prior to that, it was slated to open in March 2018.

Al Maryah Central, combined with The Galleria, will include a giant 2.8 million square foot shopping centre, as well as two 400,000 square foot towers, housing a hotel and luxury residences.

With neighbouring 2.9 million square foot behemoth Reem Mall expected to open in 2020, some analysts have expressed concern about the sudden glut of retail space arriving in Abu Dhabi, at a time when ecommerce is growing rapidly and consumer spending is largely flat.