Doha Festival City to have ‘largest’ cinema complex in Qatar

Doha Festival City is set to house “the largest cinema complex in Qatar” in its upcoming  mall with 15 state-of-the-art movie theatres from VOX Cinemas, the region’s leading cinema operator.

The VOX MAX-enabled cinemas will each include a 20m digital wide-screen equipped with the latest 3D technology.

Theatres incorporating the highly-advanced 4DX technology will connect individuals with any movie, by engaging all their senses through motion based seating, synchronised with 20 different special effects. VOX Cinemas holds the exclusive rights to this concept in the Middle East.

The VOX GOLD concept will introduce to Qatar the first in-theatre butler service, through which movie goers can order their favourite drinks and snacks from a wide choice of menu options.

“VOX Cinemas will set a new standard of premium entertainment and offer the Qatari market the latest technologies to bring them a highly compelling, world-class, movie-going experience unmatched by any cinema operator in this market,” said Basrec CEO Kareem M Shamma.

 Doha Festival City is owned and developed by Basrec, a joint venture of Dubai-based Al-Futtaim Real Estate Services, Qatar Islamic Bank, Aqar Real Estate Investment Company and a private Qatari investor.

“This is one of many components that will establish Doha Festival City as the country’s leading retail and entertainment hub,” he claimed.

VOX Cinemas is part of a rapidly growing list of regional and international brands that Doha Festival City is introducing to Qatar for the first time. In total, the retail mall will host over 550 outlets, including 85 dine-in and fast-food restaurants.

A number of the leading regional retail groups, including Azadea, Landmark, Alshaya and Apparel, have already committed to bringing their fashion and dining outlets to Doha Festival City Mall.

“VOX Cinemas is now the Middle East’s largest cinema exhibitor and entering the Qatari market has been a long ambition for VOX Cinemas,” said VOX Cinemas CEO Cameron Mitchell.

Doha Festival City is described as the largest mixed-use development currently under construction in the Middle East.

Doha Festival City will also be home to automotive showrooms and a hotel and convention centre, all located on a total site area of over 430,000sq m that will also include 8,500 parking spaces with an efficient vehicle management system.

The current phase of the development broke ground on April 23, 2013 on the 433,847sq m site that is home to the first IKEA store in Qatar and is strategically positioned in the north of Doha on the main arterial Al-Shamal Road, between Doha International Airport and the north of Qatar.