Start saving your pennies for a rainy or even a scorching hot day – Dubai is building the biggest mall in the world… Mall of the World… for Expo 2020, and it will be the planet’s first ‘temperature-controlled city’.
The Mall of the World will be 8m square feet topped with a retractable glass dome that will allow people to shop the 7km of retail streets whatever the weather.
There will also be 100 hotels, a theme park, a 3m square foot Wellness District, a Cultural District containing theatres like Broadway or the West End and a Celebration Walk modelled on Barcelona’s Las Ramblas.
Currently the world’s biggest mall by leasable space is New South China Mall in Dongguan, China, with 7.1m square feet. Dubai Mall is the most visited retail destination in the world with 75m visitors last year.
[Related: The UAE loyalty cards to keep in your wallet | How to shop like a pro | Shop ’til you drop on holiday – it’s a better deal]
World’s top 20 malls (by gross leasable space)
| Country | City | Year opened | Gross Leasable Area (GLA) (millions square feet) | Total area (millions square feet) | No. stores | ||
| * | Mall of the World | UAE | Dubai | ? | 8.00 | 48.00 | ? |
| 1 | New South China Mall | China | Dongguan | 2005 | 7.10 | 9.60 | 2,350 |
| 2 | Golden Resources Mall | China | Beijing | 2004 | 6.00 | 1,000+ | |
| 3 | SM Megamall | Philippines | Mandaluyong | 1991 | 5.45 | 1,000+ | |
| 4 | SM City North EDSA | Philippines | Quezon City | 1985 | 5.20 | 1,100+ | |
| 5 | 1 Utama | Malaysia | Petaling Jaya,Selangor | 1995 | 5.00 | 700+ | |
| 6 | Persian Gulf Complex/ Fars Shopping Complex | Iran | Shiraz | 2011 | 4.80 | 5.38 | 2,500+ |
| 7 | Central World | Thailand | Bangkok | 1990 | 4.60 | 5.92 | 600 |
| 8 | Isfahan City Center | Iran | Isfahan | 2012 | 4.57 | 6.50 | 750+ |
| =9 | Mid Valley Megamall | Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | 1999 | 4.50 | 430 | |
| =9 | Istanbul Cevahir Mall/ Sisli Kultur ve Ticaret Merkezi | Turkey | Istanbul | 2005 | 4.50 | 343+ | |
| 10 | Mall of Asia | Philippines | Pasay | 2006 | 4.38 | 4.38 | 1,080+ |
| 11 | Sunway Pyramid | Malaysia | Subang Jaya,Selangor | 1997 | 4.27 | 800+ | |
| =12 | Jamuna Future Park | Bangladesh | Dhaka | 2013 | 4.10 | 5.45 | 430 |
| =12 | Albrook Mall | Panama | Panama City | 2003 | 4.10 | ||
| 13 | Mall Taman Anggrek | Indonesia | Jakarta | 1996 | 3.88 | 526 | |
| 14 | The Avenues Mall | Kuwait | Kuwait City | 2007 | 3.84 | 4.44 | 800+ |
| =15 | Dubai Mall | UAE | Dubai | 2008 | 3.77 | 12.10 | 1,200 |
| =15 | West Edmonton Mall | Canada | Edmonton, Alberta | 1981 | 3.77 | 5.30 | 800+ |
| =16 | Berjaya Times Square | Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | 2003 | 3.44 | 7.53 | 1,000+ |
| =16 | Beijing Mall | China | Beijing | 2005 | 3.44 | 4.70 | 600 |
| 17 | Zhengjia Plaza(Grandview Mall) | China | Guangzhou | 2005 | 3.00 | 4.50 | |
| 18 | Mal Artha Gading | Indonesia | Jakarta | 2007 | 2.90 | ||
| 19 | SM City Cebu | Philippines | Cebu City | 1993 | 2.89 | 2.94 | 700+ |
| 20 | King of Prussia Mall | USA | King of Prussia, Pennsylvania | 1963 | 2.79 | 327 |
Source: Wikipedia
Fast facts
- Where? Across Sheikh Zayed Road from the Mall of the Emirates (where Dubai Police College is now)
- What metro? Sharaf DG and Mall of the Emirates
- Why? A retail and hospitality showpiece development for the Expo 2020
- Parking: At least 50,000 spaces on ground level alone – total unkown
- Total cost: Unknown
- Completion date: Unknown
- Expected footfall: 180m visitors annually
- How many shops? Unknown but it will be 7km retail street network
Our ambitions are higher than having seasonal tourism. Tourism is a key driver of our economy and we aim to make the UAE an attractive destination all year long. This is why we will start working on providing pleasant temperature-controlled environments during the summer months.
HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai