Meraas

Meraas is a privately held Dubai-based holding company and development platform whose portfolio spans real estate, retail, hospitality, leisure and entertainment, food and beverage, healthcare, and related investment activities. Established in 2007, it developed a portfolio of urban destinations and mixed-use projects intended to broaden Dubai’s leisure, tourism, residential, and commercial offering. Its activities have generally been concentrated in the United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai. The company’s real-estate business covers property development, sales, and asset management. Its projects include City Walk, Bluewaters Island, Jumeira Bay, Pearl Jumeira, La Mer, Dubai Harbour, Port de La Mer, and residential developments associated with branded hospitality concepts. Meraas has used a destination-led model in which residential property, retail, restaurants, hotels, public spaces, and attractions are assembled into recognizable districts rather than marketed only as standalone buildings. Examples include Bluewaters Residences, Bvlgari Residences, Central Park at City Walk, and Nikki Beach Residences at Pearl Jumeira. Meraas has also created or operated public-facing destinations. City Walk is an open-air lifestyle district launched in 2013, while Boxpark, launched in 2015, introduced a linear retail and dining concept along Al Wasl Road. Other destinations in its portfolio include Al Seef, Kite Beach, La Mer, Last Exit, The Outlet Village, and Dubai Harbour. These projects combine retail and food-and-beverage uses with events, public realm, waterfront access, and visitor attractions. The company’s portfolio has therefore been closely connected with Dubai’s wider tourism and place-making agenda. Leisure and entertainment activities have included The Green Planet, an indoor tropical-forest attraction; Hub Zero, an indoor gaming and virtual-reality venue; Hawa Hawa, an inflatable playground at La Mer; Dubai Safari; and Ain Dubai on Bluewaters Island. Meraas has described Ain Dubai as a landmark observation wheel exceeding 250 metres in height. Through associated enterprises and investments, it has also been connected with Dubai Parks and Resorts and other entertainment and hospitality ventures. Hospitality has been developed through partnerships with international and regional operators, including Bvlgari Hotels and Resorts, Jumeirah, Marriott, Nikki Beach Hotels and Resorts, and Caesars Entertainment. The Caesars Bluewaters Dubai partnership included hotels, a beach club, and a theatre. Meraas has also been associated with Rove Hotels, a contemporary hospitality brand developed with Emaar Properties. In healthcare, the portfolio has included Valiant Clinic at City Walk. Meraas’s enterprise activities have included managing investments, joint ventures, and commercial partnerships. Notable relationships and associated projects include Dubai Hills Estate, a joint venture with Emaar Properties; Dubai Water Canal, developed with Meydan and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority; Dubai Cruise Terminal; Dubai Parks and Resorts; and Rove Hotels. The company has also participated in initiatives intended to support tourism and international economic exchange, including Visit Hatta and Hala China. In 2020, following a directive from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Meraas became a subsidiary of Dubai Holding. The ownership change placed the company within a larger Dubai-based investment and operating group while retaining Meraas’s identity as a developer and destination platform. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum has served as Meraas group chairman. The available reference material does not provide audited financial figures, a public-market listing, or a confirmed corporate website address.

Meraas was established in Dubai in 2007 as a holding company and development platform. From its early years, it pursued projects across several sectors rather than limiting itself to conventional property construction. Its business areas came to include real estate, retail, hospitality, food and beverage, leisure and entertainment, healthcare, and the management of investments and partnerships. This diversified structure allowed Meraas to combine physical development with the operation or promotion of visitor destinations and commercial concepts. A central element of Meraas’s strategy was the creation of mixed-use urban destinations in Dubai. City Walk, launched in December 2013, became an open-air lifestyle district combining retail, dining, public space, and residential and hospitality uses. Boxpark followed in 2015 along Al Wasl Road as a retail and food-and-beverage destination. The Outlet Village opened in 2016 as an indoor outlet-shopping concept. Other destination projects included Al Seef, a waterfront promenade; Kite Beach, with sports, food, retail, and community programming; La Mer, a beachfront district launched in 2017; Pearl Jumeira; Last Exit; and Bluewaters Island. The company’s real-estate portfolio expanded into residential, branded-residential, hospitality, and waterfront developments. Bluewaters Residences offered apartments, penthouses, and townhouses on the man-made Bluewaters Island, with the first phase handed over to residents from February 2019. Bvlgari Residences, associated with the Bvlgari hospitality brand, began handing over homes from February 2018. Other projects included Central Park at City Walk, Nikki Beach Residences at Pearl Jumeira, Port de La Mer, Jumeira Bay, Villa Amalfi, and Cherrywoods. Meraas also held or managed development plots and industrial land interests in locations including Jebel Ali Hills, Jebel Ali Industrial Development, Jumeirah Bay, and Al Warsan. Meraas broadened its destination portfolio through maritime and tourism projects. Dubai Harbour was launched in 2019 as a large-scale marina and waterfront development planned with around 1,100 berths and a proposed 135-metre Dubai Lighthouse. The company also participated in the development or management of assets connected with Dubai’s cruise and tourism infrastructure. Ain Dubai, located on Bluewaters Island, was unveiled in 2021. At more than 250 metres high and incorporating over 9,000 tonnes of steel, it was promoted as the largest observation wheel in the world during its development. Leisure and entertainment became another visible part of the group’s activities. Meraas’s projects included The Green Planet, an indoor tropical-forest attraction in City Walk; Hub Zero, an indoor entertainment centre with rides and virtual-reality experiences; Hawa Hawa, an inflatable playground at La Mer; and Dubai Safari. Through related enterprise holdings, the company was associated with Dubai Parks and Resorts, described in the source material as a major integrated theme-park destination in the region, as well as Roxy Cinemas and other entertainment operations. Hospitality growth relied substantially on partnerships. Meraas worked with Bvlgari Hotels and Resorts, Jumeirah, Marriott, Nikki Beach Hotels and Resorts, and Caesars Entertainment. Caesars Bluewaters Dubai was structured as a partnership involving hotels, a beach club, and a theatre. The group was also linked with Rove Hotels and with Dubai Hills Estate, a master-planned community developed through a joint venture with Emaar Properties. Other associated infrastructure included Dubai Water Canal, developed with Meydan and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, and Dubai Cruise Terminal at Dubai Harbour. The company also pursued initiatives with a tourism and international-business dimension. Visit Hatta, launched in 2018, combined adventure facilities and resort properties. Hala China, a joint initiative of Meraas and Dubai Holding, sought to strengthen tourism, investment, and cultural exchange between Dubai and China in support of Dubai’s tourism objectives. In 2020, Meraas became a subsidiary of Dubai Holding following a directive from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This marked a significant ownership and organizational transition, placing Meraas within a broader Dubai Holding structure. The available reference material identifies Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum as group chairman. It does not provide detailed information on the company’s founding leadership, financial performance, public listing, or a confirmed current website.

• 2021

  Ain Dubai is unveiled

  [1]Meraasen.wikipedia.org

  Meraas unveils Ain Dubai on Bluewaters Island as a landmark observation wheel exceeding 250 metres in height.

• 2020

  Meraas joins Dubai Holding

  [1]Meraasen.wikipedia.org

  Meraas becomes a subsidiary of Dubai Holding following a directive from Dubai’s ruler.

• 2019

  Dubai Harbour and Cherrywoods are launched

  [1]Meraasen.wikipedia.org

  Meraas launches Dubai Harbour as a major marina destination and introduces Cherrywoods, its first townhouse community in Dubai according to the reference material.

• 2018

  Visit Hatta is introduced

  [1]Meraasen.wikipedia.org

  Meraas introduces Visit Hatta, an adventure and resort-oriented tourism initiative.

• 2017

  La Mer launches

  [1]Meraasen.wikipedia.org

  Meraas launches La Mer, a beachfront destination in Jumeirah with retail, dining, leisure, and coastal public-space components.

• 2016

  The Outlet Village launches

  [1]Meraasen.wikipedia.org

  Meraas opens The Outlet Village as an indoor retail destination.

• 2015

  Boxpark launches

  [1]Meraasen.wikipedia.org

  The company launches Boxpark, a destination combining retail and food-and-beverage concepts along Al Wasl Road.

• 2013

  City Walk opens

  [1]Meraasen.wikipedia.org

  Meraas launches City Walk as an open-air lifestyle and urban destination in Dubai.

• 2007

  Meraas is established

  [1]Meraasen.wikipedia.org

  Meraas is founded in Dubai as a holding company and development platform with activities spanning real estate and multiple consumer-facing sectors.

A Dubai-focused destination developer and investment platform combining residential and commercial real estate with hospitality, retail, leisure, entertainment, and public-realm experiences.

• Mixed-use lifestyle destination · 2013

  City Walk

  City Walk is an open-air urban destination launched in 2013. It combines retail, restaurants, entertainment, public spaces, and residential and hospitality uses in a walkable district. Meraas has also used the location for attractions such as The Green Planet and Hub Zero, making City Walk a representative example of the company’s destination-development model.

• Mixed-use waterfront development

  Bluewaters Island

  Bluewaters is a man-made island destination incorporating residential, retail, hospitality, leisure, and beachfront elements. Its residential portfolio includes Bluewaters Residences, with apartments, penthouses, and townhouses. The island is also home to Ain Dubai and has been positioned as a major visitor and lifestyle destination connected with Dubai’s coastal development strategy.

• Observation wheel and visitor attraction · 2021

  Ain Dubai

  Ain Dubai is a large observation wheel on Bluewaters Island. During construction and launch promotion, it was described as the world’s largest and tallest observation wheel. The structure rises more than 250 metres and used more than 9,000 tonnes of steel, making it a landmark component of Meraas’s leisure and destination portfolio.

• Marina and waterfront destination · 2019

  Dubai Harbour

  Dubai Harbour is a large waterfront and maritime development launched by Meraas in 2019. The proposed scheme included approximately 1,100 yacht berths, a Dubai Lighthouse, and infrastructure connected with cruise and maritime tourism. It extends Meraas’s destination approach into marina, cruise, hospitality, retail, and waterfront public-realm uses.

• Beachfront lifestyle destination · 2017

  La Mer

  La Mer is a beachfront destination in Jumeirah launched in 2017. The development includes a substantial beach area, restaurants, retail, leisure facilities, and public spaces. It reflects Meraas’s focus on combining Dubai’s coastal environment with hospitality, entertainment, and food-and-beverage experiences rather than developing the site solely as a residential asset.

• Waterfront retail and hospitality destination

  Al Seef

  Al Seef is a waterfront promenade developed as a leisure, retail, dining, and hospitality destination. The project extends for approximately 1.8 kilometres and includes a marina with 56 berths for private yachts. Its setting and programming connect commercial uses with Dubai Creek’s waterfront and heritage-oriented visitor experience.

• Retail and food-and-beverage destination · 2015

  Boxpark

  Boxpark is a linear destination launched by Meraas in 2015 on Al Wasl Road. It uses a themed retail and dining environment to accommodate shops, restaurants, and visitor-oriented concepts. The project helped establish Meraas’s pattern of creating branded, highly visible urban destinations built around experiential retail and food-and-beverage uses.

• Outlet retail destination · 2016

  The Outlet Village

  The Outlet Village is an indoor retail destination launched in 2016. Its concept is centred on outlet shopping within a themed environment, broadening Meraas’s portfolio beyond mixed-use districts and beachfront destinations into purpose-built retail tourism and value-oriented consumer experiences.

• Residential real estate · 2019

  Bluewaters Residences

  Bluewaters Residences is a residential collection on Bluewaters Island offering one- to four-bedroom apartments, penthouses, and townhouses. The first phase was handed over to residents from February 2019. The project forms part of Meraas’s strategy of integrating residential property with retail, hospitality, entertainment, and waterfront amenities.

• Branded residential real estate · 2018

  Bvlgari Residences

  Bvlgari Residences is a branded-residential development associated with Bvlgari Hotels and Resorts. It forms part of Meraas’s use of international hospitality partnerships to create premium residential products. The first residences were handed over to residents from February 2018 according to the reference material.

• Indoor leisure and education attraction

  The Green Planet

  The Green Planet is an indoor attraction at City Walk designed to recreate a tropical forest environment. It adds an educational and family-oriented leisure component to the City Walk district and illustrates Meraas’s expansion from property development into managed visitor experiences and entertainment venues.

• Healthcare facility

  Valiant Clinic

  Valiant Clinic at City Walk represents Meraas’s healthcare activity. It places a medical and wellness service within one of the company’s mixed-use urban destinations, complementing the group’s broader portfolio of real estate, hospitality, retail, leisure, and consumer services.

• 2018Visit Hatta

  United Arab Emirates

  Visit Hatta was introduced as an adventure and tourism initiative comprising an activity centre and resort properties. It was intended to support Hatta as a destination for domestic and international visitors.

  Outcome. The reference material identifies the initiative and its components but does not provide quantified visitor, financial, or investment outcomes.

  Source
• Hala China

  United Arab Emirates · China

  Hala China was a joint initiative of Meraas and Dubai Holding designed to strengthen tourism, investment cooperation, and cultural exchange between Dubai and China. It was aligned with Dubai’s tourism objectives and sought to attract Chinese visitors and investors.

  Outcome. The available source describes the initiative’s objectives but does not report a quantified outcome.

  Source

• 2021

  Unveiling of Ain DubaiProduct launch

  Background

  Meraas sought to establish Bluewaters Island as a major leisure and tourism destination with a globally recognizable landmark.

  Action taken

  The company unveiled Ain Dubai, an observation wheel exceeding 250 metres in height and using more than 9,000 tonnes of steel.

  Aftermath

  Ain Dubai became a signature element of Bluewaters Island and a prominent part of Meraas’s entertainment portfolio. The reference material does not provide operating or financial results.

  Source

• 2020

  Integration into Dubai HoldingM&A

  Background

  Meraas had developed a broad Dubai-focused portfolio of real estate, destinations, hospitality, retail, leisure, and investment activities.

  Action taken

  Following a directive from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Meraas became a subsidiary of Dubai Holding.

  Aftermath

  The transaction placed Meraas within the Dubai Holding group. The available source does not specify transaction value, consideration, or subsequent financial results.

  Source

• 2019

  Launch of Dubai HarbourProduct launch

  Background

  Meraas was expanding its portfolio from urban retail and residential destinations into major waterfront, marina, cruise, and tourism infrastructure.

  Action taken

  The company launched Dubai Harbour with a planned marina of approximately 1,100 berths and a proposed Dubai Lighthouse.

  Aftermath

  Dubai Harbour became one of the company’s flagship waterfront projects. The source does not provide verified investment costs, completion figures, or operating results.

  Source

• 2020.01.12

  Reported2020.01.12

  Meraas partners with Hilton to operate three Al Seef hotels[2]Meraas与希尔顿合作运营Al Seef三家酒店emirates247.com

  Meraas announced a partnership with Hilton under which Hilton will operate three hotels at Al Seef in Dubai under Hilton brands.

Read more

1. 1Meraasen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Meraas与希尔顿合作运营Al Seef三家酒店emirates247.com