One of Qatar’s biggest upcoming malls has postponed its launch for at least another month.
Speaking to the Peninsula this week, Doha Festival City manager Trevor Hill said the mall has entered its “final development phase.”
It will now open its doors to the public “in March 2017,” he added.
DFC
Doha Festival City rendering
Previously, DFC had been aiming to open on Feb. 1.
And before that, it had planned to launch last fall, but cited issues with the “supporting infrastructure” as a reason for delays.
DFC did not comment on the reasons for its latest postponement.
Offerings
The mall is located north of Doha on Al Shamal Road, next to IKEA.
When fully open, DFC is expected to have around 400 stores, including the world’s largest Monoprix, an 18-screen 4D VOX cinema and an Angry Birds theme park.
By March, Hill said “the majority of the mall” will be ready to receive the public.
Nathan Rupert/Flickr
Photo for illustrative purposes only.
However, the luxury wing and theme parks Virtuocity, Angry Birds World, Snow Dunes and Juniverse won’t open until at least the second quarter of this year, he added.
He also told the Peninsula:
“Our other innovative offerings include the sports facilities that encourage physical activity and a healthy lifestyle in Qatar.
We will offer a range of green space with outdoor facilities that are free of charge to guests and include two outdoor basketball courts and a 3km trail surrounding the Mall with numerous routes for both running and cycling.”
Competition
Competition in the retail arena is heating up in Qatar.
Rival Mall of Qatar just opened last month, and has already been drawing thousands of visitors weekly with new offerings such as Cheesecake Factory, Pottery Barn and Lefties.
Supplied
Mall of Qatar
Other commercial centers are also planning to open in the coming years, including Al Hazm mall, Tawar Mall and Northgate Mall.
The numerous developments have led analysts to predict a retail glut in Qatar, though many mall managers have shrugged off this possibility.
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