10 Dec 2003

Interserve's Middle East project services business has been awarded the contract to build the retail and leisure component of the Mall of the Emirates development in Dubai, United Arab Emirates – the largest such complex in the Arab world. The value of this Main Mall contract to associate company Khansaheb Civil Engineering LLC, in which Interserve owns a 45 per cent share, is 620 million dirhams (£100 million).

Initial work began in October 2003 with project completion scheduled for September 2005. The contract will involve the use of 140,000 cubic metres of concrete – more than half as much again as will go into the construction of the new Wembley Stadium – and 14,000 tonnes of reinforcement. There will be 60,000 square metres of retail stores including a 20,000-square-metre hypermarket – considerably larger than Marks and Spencer's flagship store at Marble Arch. Other components of the development currently being tendered include a 400-suite hotel, parking garages for 6,500 cars and a snow centre which, at 400 metres long with a 70-metre fall, will be larger than any similar project in the USA or Europe.

The client, Majid Al Futtaim Investments LLC (MAF) is one of the leading mall developers and operators in the region. Khansaheb has carried out a number of projects with MAF including a fast-track scheme to fit out the second floor of the Deira City Centre complex (completed within 26 weeks) and new access roads to the complex completed within 18 weeks.
 
Interserve Plc director John Vyse commented, "We've developed a strong relationship with MAF and share a commitment to providing value for money. Our proven reputation for carrying out major projects on time and within budget and the fact that we could field the same construction team that delivered the highly successful Dubai Convention Centre project for the 2003 IMF Conference were significant factors in winning this prestigious contract."