Gulf Construction Online - Deira destinations take shape

Dubai

RIU Deira Islands Resort ... set to introduce a new hospitality concept in the emirate.

Deira destinations take shape

01 April 2019

Work is well advanced and moving at a steady pace on several fronts at a Dh670-million ($182 million), 800-room beachfront resort and water-park, Dubai’s first four-star, family-orientated, all-inclusive beachfront destination.

The project is taking shape at Deira Islands and is being spearheaded by leading property developer Nakheel in joint venture with Spain’s RIU Hotels & Resorts as a new hospitality concept in the emirate.

RIU Deira Islands Resort marks the first international hospitality venture for the master developer and RIU’s first resort in the region.

Construction of the project is being undertaken by Binladin Contracting Group Dubai, which was awarded the Dh385-million contract early last year for completion in two years.

Highlighting the works under way on the landmark development, a spokeswoman for Nakheel says the roof concrete structure and all accommodation floors have been completed. Works is under way on the steel bridge and finishing of the rooms.

Façade installation work at the nine-storey property is also in progress, she adds.

Inside the property, floor tiling in the corridors and 800 rooms is ahead of schedule and has already reached the eighth floor; and mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works are under way.

Outside, the structure for the resort’s three swimming pools has also been completed. Also complete are the external amenities structures while work is currently in progress on the chiller building and utilities infrastructure.

Located on a prime seafront plot at Nakheel’s new, 15.3-sq-km Deira Islands coastal city, the resort is one of the emirate’s largest in terms of rooms. It features seven food and beverage outlets, three pools, a fitness complex, a children’s club and a water park. Two major new Nakheel projects – The Night Market and Deira Mall – are nearby.

Deira Islands, where Nakheel has invested more than Dh8.8 billion in infrastructure and project construction so far, will add 40 km to Dubai’s coastline. The development will transform Dubai’s oldest, most traditional trading hub into a world-class hub for retail, tourism, living and leisure. The coastal city is expected to have a population of 250,000.

Nakheel is also building another beachfront resort at Deira Islands along with Thai hotel group Centara Hotels & Resorts.

Work is currently under way on the 601-room Centara Deira Islands Beach Resort Dubai following the award of a Dh290.5-million construction contract to Parkway International Contracting last year.

The four-star property – Centara’s first in the UAE – is expected to open in Q4 2020.

The family-centric resort will feature a waterpark, multiple restaurants, kids’ club, spa, fitness centre and business facilities. The 601 sea-view and city-facing rooms cover a range of categories, with an emphasis on family-sized accommodation: 114 rooms are specifically for families, covering 450 sq ft. There are also rooms for people with special needs, standard rooms, deluxe rooms, suites and 1,200-sq-ft duplexes.

Dubai-based Nakheel is a world-leading master developer whose innovative, landmark projects form an iconic portfolio of master communities and residential, retail, hospitality and leisure developments that are pivotal to realising Dubai’s vision.

Nakheel’s waterfront projects, including the world-famous, award-winning Palm Jumeirah, have added more than 300 km to Dubai’s original 70 km coastline, paving the way for the development of hundreds of seafront homes, resorts, hotels and attractions.

Nakheel’s current master developments span 15,000 hectares, accommodate nearly 300,000 people and provide a growing range of destinations, attractions and facilities for Dubai’s residents and tourists. They include Palm Jumeirah, The World, Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah Village, Al Furjan, The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Jebel Ali Village, Dragon City, International City and the upcoming Deira Islands.

Meanwhile, Nakheel Malls, Nakheel’s retail arm, has 17 million sq ft of leasable space across 19 projects, including large-scale malls and suqs, leisure destinations and community shopping centres. Operational assets, with five million sq ft of leasable space between them, include Ibn Battuta Mall and Dragon Mart, both of which are undergoing further expansion, and Golden Mile Galleria, The Pointe and Club Vista Mare on Palm Jumeirah. Upcoming malls due to open in 2019 include Nakheel Mall on Palm Jumeirah, The Night Market at Deira Islands and Warsan Souk at Warsan Village. Other projects include Deira Mall at Deira Islands, Al Khail Avenue at Jumeirah Village and Nad Al Sheba Mall.

Nakheel Hospitality’s project portfolio currently comprises 18 resorts, hotels and serviced apartment complexes, ranging from five-star, luxury establishments to modest accommodation, with over 6,600 rooms and hotel apartments between them. Two are operational, with the rest at various stages of development. Working with international, reputable hospitality brands, Nakheel is bringing new concepts to Dubai in line with the government’s tourism vision. Joint venture partners currently include Spain’s RIU Hotels & Resorts and Thailand’s Centara Hotels & Resorts, with management agreements with Accor Hotels (Raffles), Marriott Hotels & Resorts (St Regis), Minor Hotels (Avani) and Hilton (DoubleTree) also in place. Nakheel’s hospitality project collection also includes 24 community clubs, restaurants and lounges.

Nakheel’s residential leasing portfolio currently comprises 17,000 villas and apartments at The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Jebel Ali Village, Palm Jumeirah, Badrah, Veneto and International City, with more on the way at Nad Al Sheba, Warsan Village and other areas across Dubai.