Cenomi Centers celebrates progress on ‘Jawharat Riyadh,’ Saudi capital’s upcoming retail & lifestyle destination
Cenomi Centers, the largest owner, operator and developer of contemporary lifestyle centers in Saudi Arabia, celebrated progress on its Jawharat Riyadh development with a VIP gala dinner on May 20. Jawharat Riyadh is set to become Riyadh’s largest lifestyle destination, and one of Cenomi Centers’ prized assets across its portfolio of 22 centers including iconic flagship and lifestyle centers.
The gala dinner saw the creation of an elaborate event space on the Jawharat Riyadh construction site, to celebrate a milestone in the project’s development and bring its highly anticipated opening one step closer. Saudi Chef Mona Mosly created a bespoke menu for the VIP guests, with dishes celebrating the different regional foods of the country. VIP guests included international, regional and local retailers who are interested in bringing their retail and lifestyle concepts to Jawharat Riyadh, many of whom are not yet in Saudi Arabia.
Opening in the second half of 2025, Jawharat Riyadh will be a watershed moment in lifestyle experiences in the Kingdom, as Cenomi Centers pursues an ambitious growth pipeline to develop next-generation retail and lifestyle destinations. Its flagship centers will introduce many retailers to Saudi Arabia for the first time and bring major new flagship stores, international entertainment destinations, expansive F&B offerings and a range of unique experiences.
Jawharat Riyadh will be the Saudi capital’s No. 1 destination in terms of spend with a SR5 billion+ ($1.3 billion) total potential retail spend and is expected to attract over 20 million visitors annually. Located in one of the most affluent and fastest growing areas in the city, Jawharat Riyadh will combine stunning designs with the best luxury and fast fashion retail brands and dining options, as well as futuristic entertainment, events and experiential offerings supported by technology-led customer services to create an experience like no other.
The first phase of the development at 185,000 square meters of the total gross leasable area will boast over 300 stores, restaurants, a lifestyle and co-working space along with over 50,000 square meters of prime office space. It will bring luxury, lifestyle brands, entertainment and dining at a scale not seen before in the Kingdom. Jawharat Riyadh will feature distinct zones including the Luxury District, Fashion and Lifestyle Avenue, Youth and Innovation Zone, and the Leisure and Entertainment District. There will also be four F&B zones, ranging from premium dining to social experiential dining as well as outdoor promenades and immersive dining around next-generation entertainment. Thirty first-to-Saudi brands and over 70 flagship stores from the most sought-after names will open in Jawharat Riyadh.
The development will feature the first and largest luxury wing inside a shopping mall, spanning over 25,000 square meters, with more than 60 luxury stores and the full suite of services. Its entertainment offering will feature multiple attractions and entertainment concepts from the US, Dubai, and Asia, serving all age groups. As customers explore Jawharat Riyadh, they will also see numerous digital offerings, including an iconic 3D holographic entertainment offering, as well as digital screens with generative art and mixed reality features.
Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO of Cenomi Centers, said: “We are pleased to have hosted a successful VIP gala dinner to celebrate another milestone for the Jawharat Riyadh development. This project supports our company’s growth strategy to deliver the next generation of retail and lifestyle centers not yet available in the Kingdom. Jawharat Riyadh will meet the fast-evolving consumer needs and deliver the flagship spaces that retailers require to expand into the Kingdom. Cenomi Centers is a proud partner of Vision 2030, delivering sustainable lifestyle centers which help drive the retail and tourism economy and create new local jobs.”
Bruno Wehbe, COO of flagship assets at Cenomi Centers, said: “Our flagship destinations will change the way Saudi Arabia imagines retail and lifestyle experiences. At Jawharat Riyadh, we are delivering a number of firsts to the Kingdom, from major international retailers to entertainment, events and dining concepts. We are experiencing high retailer demand for space and look forward to offering visitors and those who call Riyadh home something new, engaging and genuinely different in 2025. This is a forward step for Cenomi Centers, for Riyadh and the concept of what a lifestyle destination is about in the Saudi Arabian capital.”
Jawharat Riyadh will achieve the internationally recognized Gold Standard Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, which is a first for a Saudi mall, and will support Green Riyadh with more than one tree planted for every 2.5 meters of the surface area, totaling 4,500 trees. Phase 2 of Jawharat Riyadh will see the delivery of up to 1,000 lifestyle and premium hotel rooms, premium branded residences and serviced apartments, and other commercial space.
Jawharat Riyadh is part of the Jawharat flagship projects, which include the development of two further one-of-a-kind lifestyle destinations — Jawharat Jeddah, which is set to open at the end of 2025, and Jawharat Alkhobar, which will open in 2027. These centers will redefine retail and leisure in the country and will further cement Cenomi Centers’ leading position.