There has been no major regional mall in Qatar since 2006… Existing ones are looking a bit tired and the populace is definitely looking for the stimulus a brand new super-regional mall can offer.
Shem Krey, deputy managing director of the under-construction Mall of Qatar, quoted as “fighting words” by Gulf News.
Earlier this year, UrbaCon General Contracting announced its plans to build the $824 million mall, which is set to open in 2015.
At the time, officials said the mall, which will be located in Al Rayyan near Education City, would address “enormous untapped demand,” though not all Qatar residents appeared to agree.
But Phil McArthur, managing director at the consultancy McArthur + Company, told Gulf News that the mall could be a big success here:
“There will undoubtedly be winners and losers in the race to capture shopping centre market share. The huge centres with 400-500 shops will become market dominant as they have become in Dubai.
Our studies have confirmed that today’s consumer will travel beyond their immediate local mall to shop at a super-regional mall.”
The Mall of Qatar is currently deciding which stores to sign up as anchor tenants and will court regional brands at Cityscape Global in Dubai this week.
Thoughts?
Credit: Still via Mall of Qatar
