Dubai Parks and Resorts begins leasing retail, dining units in Riverland

Dubai Parks and Resorts, developer of a mega theme park project in Dubai, has begun leasing retail and dining units in Riverland, the project’s entrance plaza.

About 220,000 square feet of retail and dining units have been made available at Riverland, which is also the connecting point between the three theme parks.

The plaza has been inspired by other global attractions such as New York’s Times Square, London’s Covent Garden and Barcelona’s Las Ramblas, all of which combines retail and dining outlets.

Riverland is expected to have over 50 dedicated outlets, the company said in a statement.

“Every visitor to Dubai Parks and Resorts will pass through Riverland Dubai on their way into our four parks,” said Raed Al Nuaimi, CEO of Dubai Parks and Resorts.

The entrance plaza will initially have a strip styled after a French village with live street performances and a landscape featuring towers, turrets and a working water wheel.

Guests will then be directed to a number of casual dining options set in 1950’s America, with entertainment from jugglers, stilt walkers and live musicians.

Riverland will also feature India Gate, showcasing sights across India with casual dining outlets offering Indian and Asian cuisine.

The entrance plaza will eventually lead to The Peninsula, a dining and retail strip in Riverland surrounded by a winding river. The venue will host a number of concerts and open festivals, the company said.

The Dhs 10.5bn Dubai Parks and Resorts mega development was announced by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2012.

Located in Jebel Ali, the project will have three main theme parks. The Hollywood-themed Motiongate Dubai, Legoland Dubai and Bollywood Parks Dubai. The mega project will also feature Lapita, a family themed hotel.

The company listed in Dubai last year, raising Dhs2.5 billion from the offering.

The theme park project, set to open in October 2016, is aiming to net Dhs 2.4bn in revenues and 6.7 million ticketed visits in its first full year of operation.