Local developer Emaar Properties has invited contractors to express interest in working on the Dubai Modern Art Museum and Opera House District.

The district will be built next to its Burj Khalifa development in the Downtown Dubai area. It will contain a modern art museum, an opera house and other cultural facilities. The Dubai Modern Art Museum and Opera House District will also contain two hotels, studios and leisure facilities.

Emaar is developing new projects in the area. Last year, it awarded the contract to build the The Address The BLVD hotel and residential development in the Downtown Dubai area to Canada’s Brookfield Multiplex.

Emaar is also tendering an expansion to the Dubai Mall. It involves building a fashion avenue next to the existing mall, the lake, Burj Khalifa tower and the existing Address hotel offering 75,000 square metres of retail space and about 25,000 sq m of parking.

The cultural district is part of Dubai’s efforts to expand its cultural infrastructure. In addition to Emaar’s plans, the emirate is also planning a AED50m expansion of the Alserkal Avenue in the Al-Quoz area of the city. The planned expansion will involve building another 62 units to add to the Alserkal Avenue’s existing 39 units, half of which are currently used for cultural purposes.