The much-anticipated Mall of Egypt is set to open its doors for visitors for the first time on 2 March, leading Dubai-based retail group Majid Al-Futtaim announced on Wednesday in a press release. With EGP 6.3 billion in investments, the mall, located on Wahat Road in 6 October City, spans a gross leasable area (GLA) of 165,000 square metres and will provide customers with 6,500 parking spaces. The mall hosts Ski Egypt, Africa's first indoor ski slope, a 21 multi-screen VOX Cinema and a Magic Planet family entertainment centre. Majid Al-Futtaim said the mall will also be home to several local and international retailers including high-end fashion outlets offering of the world's most prestigious brands, as well as the finest dining outlets. The Emirati company owns and operates 20 shopping malls, 12 hotels and three mixed-use communities in the Middle East, with more underway. The company has exclusive rights to the giant French franchise Carrefour in 38 markets in the MENA region, Central Asia and Africa. In January 2016, Egypt's Ministry of Investment announced that the group would invest EGP 4 billion (around $250 million) in building another shopping mall on Cairo's northeastern outskirts. The project, expected to be completed in 2019, will provide about 36,000 direct and indirect job opportunities, according to the ministry.
