A new Ikea is opening in Dubai's Jebel Ali this year

If you had been wondering what the big blue building off Sheikh Zayed Road is, we have the answer

A new Ikea is being built in Dubai at Festival Plaza Mall. Courtesy Al-Futtaim

A little past Ibn Battuta Mall, as you drive out of Dubai towards Abu Dhabi, a big blue building has popped up in recent months. UAE drivers have been pondering what it could be, but this week Al-Futtaim announced a new Dubai mall, and naturally the big blue structure will house Swedish furniture giant Ikea.

The new mall, Festival Plaza, is set to open in December 2019. The mall will house 120 stores; as well as Ikea, you'll find Ace Hardware and Lulu Hypermarket.

It is located off Sheikh Zayed Road, and is easily accessible for Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) residents as part of part of the new residential area, Wasl Gate.

As well as the 120 shops, there will also be a 500-seat food court with more than 40 food and beverage options, a kids' club and 2,310 parking spaces all spread across 64,800 square metres.

The new Ikea is set to be the biggest in Dubai, spread across 30,000 square metres. There is currently an Ikea at Dubai Festival City and Abu Dhabi's Yas Mall. The new store will "will embrace digital integration and allow for a more intuitive shopping experience for its customers".

Of the project, Timothy Earnest, group director of Al-Futtaim Malls, said: "Festival Plaza is built around its customers’ needs, which were identified through extensive research. So, this truly is a mall that directly addresses customer demand."

The mall already has a website, located here, which highlights its handy location off Sheikh Zayed Road and in the new residential area.

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