DUBAI — Construction of Taj Arabia, a $1 billion (Dh3.67 billion) replica of the Taj Mahal in FalconCity, will begin in June and is expected to be completed by mid 2015, Gulf News said on Wednesday, quoting the developer .



The 400-room five star hotel will be managed by Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, an Indian-based hotel operator with 15 palace hotels there, said Arun Mehra, Director of Link Global, the developer behind Taj Arabia.



Taj Arabia, which is being promoted as a wedding destination, will overlook a retail area specializing in gold and wedding outfits.



Links Global has been flooded with requests from jewelers and other retailers to rent space in the retail development, Mehra said.



“The response has been very good, from local jewellers who own large chains and others outside Dubai,” he told Gulf News.



He said Taj Arabia will be designed, like Taj Mahal, on the theme of love.



“The Taj Mahal is a monument of love. Taj Arabia is designed on the theme of a monument of love,” Mehra said.



The project will also include the Moghul Gardens, a courtyard-style retail area specialising in wedding requirements, a wedding hall with a capacity for 3,000 guests and two service apartment buildings for wedding guests, he said.



It was reported earlier that the Arab Experts Engineering Consultants was tapped to design and supervise the Small Pyramid — one of the three pyramids that make up one of the wonders of the world.



FWC officials were not available to comment on the cost or timeline of the project, Gulf News said. — SG