Dutch shopping centre developer Multi Development celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday for its Forum Ústí nad Labem, a 24,000 m[sup]2[/sup] regeneration scheme in the Czech city of Ústi. Construction is expected to be completed during the autumn of 2009. 'Forum Ústí nad Labem will create a new and intimate shopping area around the beautiful historic church. This monument with its leaning tower will become the highlight of the new centre. It is an example of synergy between retail and leisure and culture,' said Ronald Dasbach, Multi Czech Republic's managing director.

Dutch shopping centre developer Multi Development celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday for its Forum Ústí nad Labem, a 24,000 m2 regeneration scheme in the Czech city of Ústi. Construction is expected to be completed during the autumn of 2009. 'Forum Ústí nad Labem will create a new and intimate shopping area around the beautiful historic church. This monument with its leaning tower will become the highlight of the new centre. It is an example of synergy between retail and leisure and culture,' said Ronald Dasbach, Multi Czech Republic's managing director.

Forum Ústí will include a 1,600 m2 supermarket on the ground floor, a seven-screen cinema with 1,200 seats on the first floor, retail and leisure space, a food court with restaurants and cafés and 640 parking spaces. Ústí nad Labem is expected to create 400-600 jobs.

Multi Development entered the Czech market in 2003 and established its country head office in Prague. The company is currently working on New Karolina in the city of Ostrava, the largest inner-city regeneration project in the Czech Republic (240,000 m2 including mixed-use component). Under construction and in progress are shopping centres Forum Liberec in Liberec and Plzn II in Plzn.