Leading Kuwaiti developer National Real Estate Company (NREC) and United Projects for Aviation Services Company (UPAC) have broken ground on the $1-billion Reem Mall project coming up in Abu Dhabi.

Senior executives from NREC and UPAC announced the start of work on the 6.1-million-sq-ft project, which is set to become Abu Dhabi’s new up and coming family-focused entertainment, leisure, dining and shopping destination. Home to the world’s biggest indoor snow play, the development will include some 450 stores including 85 food and beverage outlets.

Located on Reem Island, the mall development is strategically positioned within the new master-developed residential and commercial zone, which – according to Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council – will eventually be home to more than 210,000 people.

With construction now under way, the mall is expected to open in 2018. 

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, Faisal Sultan, the chairman of NREC, said: “Reem Mall is one of the biggest and most significant leisure and retail developments ever undertaken in Abu Dhabi, and it is a proud day for all involved in this project.”

mSquared, RTKL, Dewan and Mace will  provide consultancy on key areas including retail advisory services, design, architecture, engineering and project management.