Umm Suqueim beach work starts

Work has started on the Umm Suqueim beach project, which involves development of the beach in Dubai, UAE, into a tourist attraction. It will include coffee shops, water sports accessory shops, seafood cafes, boat rental agencies and traditional boat-building yards.

The project covers 1,275 hectares which will be developed into a residential and tourist area with hotels, beach cabins and public utilities meeting international standards. It will have artificial canals and lakes across the entire area.

A "business and financial island" will also be set up with international hotels and tourist resorts along the waterfront, plus six- or seven-storey apartment blocks.

A power and desalination plant is part of the project. It will have a capacity of 3,000 MW of electricity and 260 million gallons of water daily, the report said.

Go-ahead for $54m projects

Manama: Bahrain's Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has given the go-ahead for housing projects worth BD20.5 million ($54.81 million). The projects, the first phase of the Housing and Agriculture Ministry's programme for this year, will include the construction of 1,135 housing units. The houses and flats will be constructed by 26 local construction firms.

A BD2 billion National Housing Scheme was announced by Housing and Agriculture Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa in March. Under the scheme, the ministry plans to establish new towns and residential areas in different areas in Bahrain.

Bids to be invited for resort

Abu Dhabi: Bids are likely to be invited shortly for the hotel component of the Dh330 million ($89.8 million) Al Raha Hotel and Beach Resort project in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The package, expected to exceed Dh100 million, will include construction of a 90-room five-star facility plus 11 suites. The entire project, scheduled for completion by late next year, is being promoted by the Abu Dhabi Works Department.

Technical Studies Bureau (Test), based in Dubai, is the primary consultant and also provides design and supervisory services.

Bids are also to be reinvited for the 38,000 sq m shopping mall component of the project. The earlier bids, which numbered about 20, all exceeded investment targets, the sources said.

Work on 23 chalets, which represents the first tender package, is progressing and should be completed by December. The Al Raha project, located 15 km from the city centre, will also feature a marina, a 60-m tower on the breakwater, and seafood restaurants.

Dubai: More than 1,200 exhibitors from more than 50 countries are reported to have already registered for Index 2001, the Middle East's premier trade event for the furnishing and interiors industries to be held in Dubai, UAE.

The event, from October 3 to 7, will occupy all halls at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

"In total, the show will this year occupy 22,500 sq m, 8 per cent more available floor space than the last year's record-breaking event," said Bernard Walsh, managing director, dmg Index Exhibitions, organisers of the show.

The show, 11th in the series, will feature over 20 national pavilions, including, for the first time, official Turkish and Brazilian participation," said Walsh.

Italy will once again field the largest official presence at Index with a 2,845 sq m pavilion, which is 17 per cent larger than last year. Index 2001 will also incorporate an Arabshop retail and shop fitting arena which this year, for the first time, will have official German participation.

Kempinski picked to run hotel

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi has chosen Kempinski Hotels and Resorts to run its 440-room luxury beachfront property, which will include what will be the largest conference facility in the Middle East, the international chain said.

The new facility, being positioned as a new landmark in the Middle East, is scheduled for completion by 2004 in time to host the GCC summit to be held in the capital.

The Conference Palace will combine a special auditorium exclusively for GCC summits and additional meeting space for up to 1,200 delegates.

It will also house a separate wing built specifically for heads of state and the leaders of GCC countries, comprising royal suites each covering over 1,000 sq m on the top floor, suites for dignitaries, and rooms for staff and security personnel.

The hotel itself will be set within 200 acres of landscaped gardens modelled on the intricate design at Versailles and will be built in the style of an Oriental palace.

The architect for the venture is WAT&G (Wimberly, Allison, Tong and Goo).

It will have 10-12 restaurants and a range of leisure facilities.

Jotun opens ninth Doha centre

Doha: Jotun Paints has opened its ninth multicolour centre in Doha, Qatar.

The computerised facility at the new centre enables customers to choose from over 16,000 shades in water and oil-based paints with just a press of a key.