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Dubai Mall

The Dubai Mall is a large mall being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates by Emaar Properties. The mall is a part of "Downtown Dubai." It is scheduled to open on 30 October 2008.

Description

The Dubai Mall has a total internal floor area of 5.9 million square feet and leasable space of 3.77 million square feet, about same as West Edmonton Mall.

The Dubai Mall, with 10 - 15 individual smaller malls built inside it, consisting of 9 million ft² of shopping retail space (comprising of a total of 1200 stores). Featured attractions include the world's largest gold souk with 220 retailers; the Fashion Island, with 70 flagship stores dedicated to haute couture as well as the Middle East's first Galeries Lafayette department store; one of the world's largest aquariums; an Olympic-sized ice skating rink; Oasis Fountain Waterfall; WaterFront Atrium; a view of the (soon to be completed in late 2009) world's tallest building, Burj Dubai. Other attractions include the region's first SEGA indoor theme park covering ; KidZania, a children's 'edu-tainment' centre; a 22-screen cineplex; and The Grove, an indoor-outdoor streetscape with fully retractable roof.

The mall has already won five awards. It won two awards at the Retail Future Project Awards at MAPIC, Cannes, in 2004, for Best Retail Development Scheme (Large), Best Use of Lighting in a Retail Environment. And the Dubai Mall brochure has won three awards at the Summit Creative Awards 2005, in Portland, Oregon; Gold award for Best Art Direction / Graphic Design, Silver award for Best 4-colour B2B Brochure, and Judges Special Recognition award.

Currently, the largest mall in the world is believed to be the South China Mall in Dongguan, China, with leasable space of 7.1 million square feet

Construction

The mall is being built by a Joint Venture of Dutco Balfour Beatty, Al Ghandi/CCC and Turner Construction for client Emaar Properties and was scheduled to be completed in 2006, claiming to be the size of 50 "international-sized football (soccer) pitches". Emaar Malls Group has finalised the opening date of the mall as October 30, 2008.

Labour controversy

The labour practices used in the construction of Dubai Mall have caused controversy. Dubai Mall has been built by vast numbers of construction workers, mainly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Press reports indicate that skilled carpenters at the site earn US$7.60 (£4.34)/day, and laborers earn US$4.00 (£2.84). Unions were forbidden in the United Arab Emirates up until recently, when the government announced steps to allow construction unions.

On March 21, 2006, workers upset over low wages and poor working conditions rioted, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction equipment. A Dubai Interior Ministry official said the rioters caused approximately $1m (USD) in damage. Most workers returned the following day but refused to work. Workers building a new terminal at Dubai International Airport also joined that day's work stoppage.