A UNIT of Egypt’s Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) has won a $552-million contract to design and build a major sports stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a source close to the deal said.

The contract for a 60,000-seat stadium at the King Abdullah Sports City was awarded to Six Construct – which is fully owned by Besix Group, itself a 50-50 joint venture between OCI and Belgian construction group Besix – in partnership with Al-Muhaidib Contracting Company.

The source told Reuters that Six Construct with local company Al-Muhaidib had bid for the project against at least five other groups.

The King Abdullah Sports City, to be named after King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, is planned to cover an area of 9 sq km, north of Jeddah.

Oil firm Saudi Aramco was given the task of developing the scheme on behalf of the government in 2009. It has since tendered road building and enabling works for the project.