Local developer Emaar Properties has invited contractors to bid by 17 December for the estimated AED15bn-AED18bn ($4bn-$5bn) contract to build the world’s largest shopping mall in Dubai.

It is understood that three groups are taking part in the tender. They are:

• Alec (local)/Arabian Construction Company (ACC – Lebanon)/ Dutco Balfour Beatty (local)
• China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China)
• Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC – Lebanon)/Shapoorji Pallonji (India)/Ssangyong (South Korea)

The total built-up area of the mall is expected to be about 3 million square metres, with 1.7 million sq m of retail, 550,000 sq m of residential, 180,000 of commercial, a 175,000-sq-m basement, and a 40,000-sq-m hotel. Emaar’s Dubai Mall, which is the world’s largest shopping centre by total area, has a total area of 1.124 million sq m.

The consultants working on the mall are Netherlands-based Arcadis and the UK’s Benoy.

Another key component of the Dubai Creek Harbour development is the world’s tallest structure, known as The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour. Emaar reissued tender documents for the main structural works earlier in October.

It is understood that the firms invited to submit prices includes:

• Arabian Construction Company (ACC) (Lebanon)
• Belhasa Six Construct (local/Belgium)/Samsung C+T (South Korea)
• China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China)
• Tishman (US)

The move to retender contract comes after Emaar sought fresh prices from contractors for the contract to build The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour over the summer. It is understood that those offers were not within Emaar’s budget.

In October 2016, Dubai officially confirmed the tower will be the world’s tallest man-made structure when it is completed. The final height has not been disclosed. To become the world’s tallest tower, it will have to be more than 1,008 metres in height, which is the expected height of the under-construction Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia.

The 6-square-kilometre Dubai Creek Harbour development is located in the Ras al-Khor area on the banks of Dubai Creek. The programme manager for the development is US-based Hill International. The scheme is being developed by a joint venture of Emaar and Dubai Holding.