Gulf Construction Online - Let the Games begin

Oman Review

An overview of the Asian Beach Games site.

Let the Games begin

Oman is on track to make history in December when more than 5,000 athletes from across Asia compete for top honours at the Second Asian Beach Games at a world-class sporting facility, set to be completed in November

01 February 2010

December will see more than 5,000 athletes from 45 nations vying for the top slots in the Second Asian Beach Games to be held in Musannah, Oman, where a new Olympic-standard athletes’ village is currently under construction.

The world-class facilities, which will host the second in the series of the Asian Beach Games, will include dedicated playing pitches and a man-made lagoon as well as a 230-room four-star hotel and a 96-unit apartment building.

The 1-million-sq-m site, which has passed the 50 per cent completion mark, will be handed over to the Asian Beach Games Organising Committee in November, in time for the prestigious event.

Omran, the government-owned tourism real estate development company which is responsible for the development of the site, says the project is 52.83 per cent complete, following more than five million man-hours of work last year. Infrastructure works are 43.27 per cent complete, platform works have been finished, while the marina was due for completion last month.

“We’re delighted to be able to report the passing of the 50 per cent construction completion mark,” comments Wael Al Lawati, CEO of Omran. “It is an important milestone, confirming that we are on track for delivery of the site to the Asian Beach Games Organising Committee in November. In each of the seven elements of the project, we are either on track or ahead of schedule and we remain committed to this on-time delivery schedule.”

The project has made it this far without any lost-time accident. “With more than 2,000 workers on site, completing more than 5.3 million man hours, we think it is a fantastic achievement,” he says.

Perspectives of the site ... legacy for the people of Oman.

“The permanent structures are 40.8 per cent complete, with the apartment building at 64.69 per cent, hotel at 30.71 per cent and the Games Command Centre at 80.47 per cent. The athletes’ village is 15.79 per cent complete,” says Abdul Wahid Al Farsi, external affairs manager of Omran.

Work on temporary structures will commence this month (February). Meanwhile, the soft landscaping work is under way, at 28.23 per cent completion, and more than 180 date palms having been planted to date.

The project is managed by Faithful and Gould. Atkins is the architect, while contractors are Carillion Alawi, and Larson and Toubro.

The Asian Beach Games site – located in Wudam Al Sahil, Musannah, 150 km from Muscat on the Arabian Sea – will be a world-class athletes’ village comprising a mixture of temporary and permanent facilities.

The sporting facilities will include a 350- to 400-berth marina, dedicated playing pitches with temporary stands to accommodate around 300 spectators for preliminary events, and up to 5,000 spectators for the final event. A man-made lagoon will be constructed at the heart of the site and will be used for all the water-based events and for docking sail boats.

Other infrastructure developments include a four-star hotel for players and guests, accommodation for media and administration staff and a variety of restaurants in the athlete’s village. The media will be well catered for by a dedicated press centre with full meeting and conference facilities, studios, restaurants and a business centre. It will also have a marina arrival/plaza and marina control tower.

Thousands of spectators are expected at the games.

“It will serve as a legacy for the people of Oman, and a major force in helping to transform the area into a leading sport, leisure and tourism resort, which will lead to significant benefits for both the local and national economy,” says Al Lawati.

The Beach Games will be delivered by the Oman Olympic Committee in partnership with Omran, helping to showcase the country as a premium sporting destination, while taking advantage of its natural beauty and pristine coastal environment. A total of 11 events will be held at the games, including beach handball, kabadi, sepak takraw, football, volleyball, bodybuilding, jet skiing, marathon swimming, sailing and triathlons.

“The infrastructure developments and delivery of the event fit with Omran’s aim of creating economic benefit for the country by maximising commercially viable tourism opportunities,” adds Al Lawati.

Following the completion of the Games, Omran will regain control of the site to create a mixed-use residential and commercial development with a sports theme, providing housing and employment for the local community.

Besides the Asian Beach Games site, Omran is also developing a number of other projects including the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, City Hotel, Fort Hotel, Duqum Hotel and a five-star hotel at Jebel Al Akhdar.

The Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, which will have a seating capacity of 6,000, is currently in the design stage and slated for completion by the end of 2012. To be located 4 km from the Muscat International Airport, the project will include 20 meeting rooms of 250-seating-capacity each, 250-room five-star hotel; two four-star hotel of 250 rooms; one three-star hotel of 250 rooms; serviced hotel apartments of 100 rooms, and a 50,000 sq m (gross floor area) business park.

The City Hotel, earmarked for Shatti Al Qurum is in the masterplanning phase. Scheduled to be completed in 2013, it will comprise a 250-room five-star resort hotel, 350-room five-star business hotel; and serviced apartments with 100 rooms.

The Fort Hotel, now in the design stage, is a 120-room project consisting of a five-star boutique Hotel, 120 guest suites, and a restaurant and spa centre. It is located 25 km south-east of Muscat International Airport and is targeted for completion by the end of 2011.

The 230-room Duqm Hotel, which includes a four-star business hotel, a large business centre and conference facilities, is to be built 7 km from Duqm, in southwestern Oman and is in the final design stage. It will be completed by the end of 2011.

The five-star resort hotel at Jabel Al Akhdar, which is under preliminary design, will offer 80 suites, spa suites, a cliff-side restaurant and a pool.

In addition, Omran has joined hands with other companies to develop tourist facilities in the country. In a joint venture with Orascom of Egypt, it has set up the Muriya Tourism Development Company, which is developing three projects, namely the Jebel Sifah Resort, which comprises four luxury hotels, a golf course, and sporting facilities such as horse and camel riding; the Salalah Beach Resort which includes five luxury hotels, a 200-berth marina and sporting facilities such as a golf course and water sports; and the Al Sauda Boutique Hotel.

The Yiti Tourism Development Company, a joint venture with Sama Dubai, will develop five-star hotels, luxury villas, a golf course, marina, wellness spa and eco-marina centre. The Saraya Bandar Jissah, a joint venture with Saraya of Jordan, will develop two five-star hotels, luxury villas, a private pavilion, recreation hub, a spa, and a heritage village.

The Qatari Diar Ras Al Hadd is Omran’s joint venture with Qatari Diar, the development arm of the Qatar Investment Authority. It will develop the Ras Al Haad eco-tourist resort that includes luxurious hotels, beach chalets, family spa chalets, spa bungalows, retail suqs and a marina. The Duqm Development, Omran’s joint venture with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME), will develop the Duqm Frontier Town, offering high-quality residential units for projects in Duqm such as Duqm Port and Dry Dock complex.