Al Futtaim Carillion has been named as the preferred bidder for the construction of the $1 billion Reem Mall in Abu Dhabi, it has been announced.

Reem Mall will now enter into detailed contract negotiations with Al Futtaim Carillion exclusively, a statement from the mall said. The objective of the negotiations will focus on finalising an agreement to promptly execute the remaining works.

“The announcement marks yet another milestone for Reem Mall and comes on the back of final permission to construct received from Abu Dhabi Municipality earlier this month. Al Futtaim Carillion was selected as the preferred tenderer due to its strong track record of delivering significant high quality projects in the region, and its team of construction experts,” said Shane Eldstrom, chief operating officer for Reem Mall. “We look forward to successfully completing the tendering process.”

Al Futtaim Carillion has established a strong reputation in the UAE and the Middle East, having worked successfully on a number of retail projects, including Deira City Centre and the expansions of Dubai Mall and Dubai Festival City.

“Al Futtaim Carillion prides itself on delivering some of the most notable projects in the region. We hope to have the process concluded shortly and deliver this important retail project to the people of Abu Dhabi,” said Andrew Ridley-Barker, managing director of Al Futtaim Carillion.

Enabling works are currently being carried out on the site by Dutch Foundation, a full-service engineering foundation company based in Abu Dhabi. These include excavation, lateral restraint systems and dewatering.

More than 7 million cubic feet of material have been removed to date, with dewatering progressing at a rate of 84,000 cubic feet per day.

“Dutch Foundation’s works are paving the way for a quick and efficient start of the next stage of construction. As such, Reem Mall is on track to be the mall destination of choice for all residents and visitors across Abu Dhabi upon completion,” added Eldstrom.

Reem Mall, developed by NREC in partnership with UPAC, will deliver 2 million sq. ft. of leasable area (2.8 million sq. ft. of floor area) of retail, leisure, dining and entertainment choices. It will comprise around 450 stores, including 85 food and beverage outlets and a range of family-focused entertainment offerings.

Reem Mall will also house the world’s largest indoor snow-play park.

Established in Kuwait in 1973, NREC has grown into one of the largest real estate companies in the region with ventures across the Middle East and North Africa.

UPAC is one of Kuwait’s leading real estate management companies.