Finishing touches are being put to the first phase of the $700 million Citystars Heliopolis Cairo development project in the Egyptian capital.

The entire project will have a total built-up area of 750,000 sq m.

Phase 1 covers about 70,000 sq m of retail, entertainment, business and residential facilities and is scheduled to open on June 1 next year. This includes a hypermarket, 13 cinemas, a 7,000-sq-m theme park and a food court with 800 seats. There is also a "Khan El Khalili" Ñ a themed indoor market with about 80 outlets Ñ a health club with swimming pools and chalets, an InterContinental five-star hotel, and 6,000 parking spaces.

This phase is in the final stages of building fit-out. The hotel and entertainment/retail components are in the final stage of main contractor fit-out and are ready to be handed over to individual tenants to begin their shop works. The theme park rides are being delivered this month. Construction work has begun on the cinemas.

Citystars services to clients are all in final stages of installation and commissioning of completed works is under way.

Phase 2 is a further 80,000 sq m of additional retail, entertainment, two hotels (a Le Meridien and Holiday Inn), five residential and office towers, including a medical facility, and exhibition areas covering 20,000 sq m. This phase is due to be opened in November 2004.

The project management contract is being carried out by Bechtel International. The lead consultant and architect is Cassia and Associates. The contractor is a team of Consolidated Contractors Company and Orascom.

The client is Golden Pyramids Plaza.