MUCH MORE THAN A MALL!

The-Dubai-Mall
o eti es it s ha d to o k o study at IHC due to
the spe ta ula ie s f o ou 42 d floo Ca pus
I The ky. It s ha d to take you eyes a ay from
the views the Gulf shore with the iconic Burj alA a hotel s sail-like shape to the south and west,
the Burj Khalifa and the crescent waters of
Business Bay and the Ras al-Khor wildlife sanctuary
to the north. But on the east (inland) side, until
very recently, there has been nothing but sand
except for the futuristic Meydan horse race stand
in the far distance.
Our horizons have once again started to change.
C e s ha e sta ted to o k a ou d the lo k o i f ast u tu e to suppo t o e of Du ai s next megadevelopments: Mohammed bin Rashid City. Long term plans for MBR City Dubai loves abbreviations
i lude the egio s la gest the e pa k, a aged y U i e sal tudios; the o ld s la gest s i
i g
pool; golf courses, hotels and parks. However Phase One, the site closest to IHC and now under
development, is a low-rise, low-density residential development of a planned 1,500 luxury villas.
There is a big change in the plans for MBR City, though. Until last year it was planned to build the Mall of
the Wo ld, the o ld s la gest shoppi g all, as the e te pie e of MB City. No the gia t all ill e
built on the site of the Dubai Police Academy, in the Al Sufouh district along Sheikh Zayed Road.
Dubai is famous for its shopping, and its world-famous malls especially the Mall of the Emirates with
its indoor ski slope, and the Mall of Dubai with its huge aquarium tank, ice skating rink and, outside, the
Dubai Fountain. The Mall of Dubai is currently the largest in the world in terms of total space, at nearly
13 million square feet. However, other malls in other countries claim to be bigger by other measures
total leasable retail space, or total number of shops. China, the Philippines, Turkey and Iran all have
mega-malls competing for global status. Dubai will not allow itself to take second place! The new Mall of
the Wo ld ill easse t Du ai s shoppi g all p e-eminence in a big way, as only Dubai knows how to
think big.
To be built over the next decade, the Mall of the World will be four times larger than the Mall of Dubai,
at 48 illio s . ft. Des i ed as a te pe atu e- o t olled ity he e isito s a stay fo a eek a d
e e ha e to get i a a , the e Mall ill sta d out o the ho izo as e look south f o IHC. To
support the millions of visitors, there will be 20,000 new hotel rooms in a planned 90 (yes, ninety!)
hotels in its neighborhood.

www.ihc-dubai.com

Does the world need another mega-mall? I am torn in my views. One the one hand, my frugal Yankee
conscience says it is sad that so much of the world s people ha e othi g ette to do ith thei ti e
a d o ey, tha e eatio al shoppi g fo fashio a le ite s they do t eed. O the othe ha d, I a
filled once again with admiration for the way in which Dubai sees opportunities to attract visitors, and
i ests o a huge s ale to p ofit f o the . To uote Du ai s ule , heikh Moha
ed, The futu e
belongs to those who can imagine it, design it, and execute it. Here in the UAE we think differently.
While others try to predict the future, we create it.
As educational innovators, we share that philosophy. Come and join us at IHC in Dubai creating the
future!

www.ihc-dubai.com