2 . New South China Mall , Dongguan , China The New South China Mall in Dongguan , China is the largest mall in the world based on gross lettable area and ranked second in total area to the Dubai Mall . The mall contains sufficient space for as many as 2,350 stores in approximately 659,612m ² of lettable space and 892,000m ² total area . Since its opening in 2005 , the mall has suffered from a severe lack of occupants . Much of the retail space has remained empty , with over 99 % of the stores vacant . There are many flaws to the mall ’ s location . The mall is located in the suburbs of Dongguan , where it is practically accessible only by car or bus , rendering it unreachable to a large percentage of the public . Dongguan does not have an airport , nor are there highways adjacent to the mall ’ s location . To exacerbate the problems , the population in the area is mainly factory workers who do
not have a lot of expendable income .
AROUND THE WORLD
3 . The Ciudad Real Central Airport , Spain This is a real white elephant , having cost t1.1billion to build and closing after three years of operation . With its final flight having taken off in 2011 , its feature on a 2013 episode of Top Gear is likely the most action seen in the airport ’ s recent history . The airport ’ s initial owner filed for bankruptcy with t300 million of debt and the airport was finally sold this year for t56 million following a series of failed auctions , including one that saw a lone bid of a mere t10,000 .
The Ciudad Real Central Airport
4 . The Ryugyong Hotel Korea , North Korea
The Ryugyong Hotel is an unfinished 105-storey , 330-metre-tall pyramidshaped skyscraper in Pyongyang , North Korea . The building is also known as the 105 Building , a reference to its number of floors . The building was planned as a mixed-use development , which would include a hotel .
Construction began in 1987 but was halted in 1992 as North Korea entered a period of economic crisis after the dissolution of the Soviet Union . After 1992 , the building stood topped out , but without any windows or interior fittings . In 2008 , construction resumed and the exterior was completed in 2011 . The hotel was planned to open in 2012 , the centenary of Sung ’ s birth . A partial opening was announced for 2013 , but this was cancelled . In 2018 , an LED display was fitted to one side , which is used to show propaganda animations and film scenes .
The Ryugyong Hotel Korea
This is the epitome of a white elephant . Naturally none of the developers ever thought their visions would be referred to as white elephants , but sometimes if you get it wrong , it can go horribly wrong .
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