DUBAI 7 August 2017: UAE-based malls and retail firm Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) has announced plans for a new US$116.8m) shopping centre in Oman. The mall, located in the Northern Governorate’s historic capital Sohar, is due to open in late 2018.
It will have 130 stores, a Carrefour Hypermarket and a nine-screen VOX Cinemas.
Located on Batinah Highway, it will add 40,000 m2 of gross leasable area to the Sultanate’s booming retail sector. Sohar, a port city and major industrial hub, has seen substantial economic growth in recent years, which Majid Al Futtaim is keen to contribute to, a statement said.
The construction contract for City Centre Sohar has been awarded to the Oman-based company Al Turki Enterprise and the work will commence in November 2017.
City Centre Sohar has set a target to achieve LEED Gold status within three months of opening. This will include implementing sustainable building best practice with enhanced insulation, LED lighting and solar panels that will contribute to the centre’s energy requirements. Furthermore, condensation from air-conditioning and ventilation systems will be used for irrigation.
In addition to City Centre Sohar, Majid Al Futtaim Properties owns and operates the newly upgraded City Centre Qurum, as well as City Centre Muscat, which recently underwent an OMR 27 million expansion. Community-centred mall My City Centre Sur is also in the pipeline, as is Mall of Oman, set to be the Sultanate’s biggest shopping centre and representing an investment of OMR 275 million.
By Rajive Singh