Dubai Municipality and Emaar Explore Public Space Retail

Dubai Municipality has signed a Memorandum of Collaboration with Emaar Malls Management LLC to explore new retail, community and lifestyle destinations across Dubai's public spaces.

Announced on 16 October 2026, the agreement aims to encourage private-sector participation, create investment opportunities and expand the services available to residents and visitors.

The collaboration forms part of Dubai Municipality's wider strategy to make public spaces more active and commercially viable by drawing on private-sector expertise.

The partners will examine suitable locations for potential developments and assess how commercial activities can add value to municipal destinations.

What the Municipality and Emaar Plan to Explore

The memorandum establishes a framework for identifying and evaluating potential development opportunities.

Rather than announcing specific projects, it enables both organisations to study locations and consider concepts suited to different areas of Dubai.

The collaboration will focus on several areas:

• Retail offerings: Exploring opportunities to introduce commercial services and retail concepts in public spaces.
• Community destinations: Considering spaces that support local activities and everyday community needs.
• Lifestyle experiences: Exploring new services and activities for residents and visitors.
• Investment opportunities: Identifying locations where businesses and investors could participate in future developments.
• Knowledge exchange: Sharing market insights, expertise and best practices in commercial and destination development.

The agreement is intended to help the partners assess which concepts are suitable for individual locations while considering the character and needs of each area.

Private-Sector Expertise to Support Public Spaces

Dubai Municipality signed the memorandum through Eng. Bader Ahmed Anwahi, CEO of its Public Facilities Agency.

Emaar Properties was represented by Ahmad Thani Al Matrooshi, its executive director, on behalf of Emaar Malls Management LLC.

Anwahi said the collaboration would provide a framework for identifying suitable opportunities and drawing on private-sector expertise in retail and destination development.

He also highlighted the potential to create more commercial and investment opportunities across public spaces while improving the services and experiences offered to the community.

Al Matrooshi said Emaar would draw on its experience in retail and leisure destinations to explore concepts that enrich public spaces, strengthen their connection with communities and create lasting value for Dubai.

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How Emaar's Experience Could Contribute

Emaar has experience in developing integrated retail, leisure and urban destinations. Through the collaboration, Dubai Municipality aims to explore how this expertise could support new commercial uses for suitable municipal locations.

The proposed approach also creates a channel for both organisations to share market information, review development concepts and assess potential opportunities before individual projects are taken forward.

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What the Collaboration Means for Dubai's Property Sector

The memorandum could create opportunities for businesses and investors interested in retail, leisure and community-focused developments.

It also supports Dubai Municipality's objective of increasing private-sector participation in public facilities.

However, the agreement does not confirm specific project locations, investment values, construction schedules or launch dates.

These details will depend on the opportunities identified and assessed by the two organisations.

For Dubai's commercial property sector, the collaboration signals an effort to explore additional ways to activate public spaces, diversify local services and connect investment with the evolving needs of residents and visitors.

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