Majid Al Futtaim announced on Monday that it has decided to defer the opening of City Centre Al Zahia in the emirate of Sharjah to March 2021.

The Dubai-headquartered mall developer said in a press statement that the decision to defer the opening date was taken considering the global disruption in the retail sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shireen El Khatib, Chief Executive Officer at Majid Al Futtaim - Shopping Malls Business Unit, said the construction of the mall has run to schedule since breaking ground in line with the company's delivery commitments.

"However, in light of the global changes that have impacted the retail industry, we have taken the prudent decision to revise the opening date of City Centre Al Zahia in the best interest of our customers and tenants," she said.

City Centre Al Zahia will bring to the market 136,200 square metres of gross leasable area (GLA), making it the largest mall in the Northern Emirates, according to the statement.

In May 2017, Zawya Projects had reported that the $707.8 million mall was scheduled for completion in 2020.

(Writing by Madhura Deulgaonkar; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@refinitiv.com)

#MajidAlFuttaim #CityCentreAlZahia #COVID19 #Sharjah #Delay

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Read our full disclaimer policy here.

© Thomson Reuters Projects News 2020