Muscat City Centre Malls To Launch VOX Cinemas In June

City Centre malls in Omani capital Muscat will see the launch of VOX Cinemas in June this year, mall operator Majid Al Futtaim has announced. The move is part of MAF’s OMR11.3 million ($29.3 million) investment to revamp the city’s malls.

While City Centre Muscat will open a 10-screen VOX Cinemas in early June, City Centre Qurum will launch a seven-screen VOX Cinemas by late June. The total of 17 screens will include Standard, VOX MAX and VOX 3D options, MAF revealed in a statement.

MAF also announced it will open a new Magic Planet in City Centre Qurum in mid-July. Spread across 473 sq ft, the new attraction will feature play areas for younger children, rides and redemptions games.

Earlier this year, City Centre Muscat re-opened its enhanced and expanded Magic Planet attraction with new games, rides and play options.

Dubai-based MAF is aggressively expanding VOX Cinemas across the region, and in March this year, pledged an investment of over Dhs750 million for a five-year growth plan. Once complete, the aim is to have VOX Cinemas operate over 250 screens across the MENA region, MAF said.

Along with the new cinemas in Oman, VOX will also open a 20-screen complex in Aldar’s Yas Island Mall in November 2014 and a new cinema in the extension of Sharjah City Centre this year.

The company is also developing the largest cinema in Qatar in Doha Festival City, while new locations are planned in the Shindagha area of Dubai and in the Burjuman Centre.

“Middle Eastern box offices have enjoyed double digit annual growth in recent years, owing in many cases to the expanding network of cinemas that have been developed across the Middle East,” said Ahmed Galal Ismail, CEO at Majid Al Futtaim – Ventures.

“Our investment in cinema in the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Egypt will see these expanding territories also enjoy modern and innovative cinemas that exceed international standards.”