Nakheel and RIU sign contract with Binladin Contracting Group Dubai
Binladin was chosen from a shortlist of 10 contractors
Construction work on a 800-room beachfront resort and water park at Deira Islands has been awarded to the Binladin Contracting Group Dubai, according to a statement by master developer Nakheel. The resort project is a joint-venture between Nakheel and RIU Hotels & Resorts and the contract carries a value of $105m.
The resort is said to offer a new hospitality concept for Dubai and offers mid-scale, family-orientated beachfront accommodation. The project is scheduled for delivery in 2019 and is being built at a total cost of $182m. Once completed, the as yet unnamed project will be one of Dubai’s largest in terms of hotel rooms.
“Today marks a key milestone for Nakheel Hospitality, Deira Islands and Dubai. Our first international joint venture will bring a new dimension to Dubai’s hospitality offering by providing a new concept in accommodation and attracting a new market segment to the emirate. The RIU resort at Deira Islands is a shining example of our commitment to delivering a diverse range of tourism-related projects that will help the government achieve its 2020 tourism targets, and I look forward to seeing this exciting resort come to fruition,” said Ali Rashid Lootah, chairman, Nakheel.
The resort will feature seven F&B outlets, three pools, a fitness complex, a children’s club and a water park. It will be located on a prime plot on the 15.3sqkm Deira Islands. Speaking about Deira Islands, Nakheel said it has now awarded infrastructure and construction contracts worth almost $2.18bn on the megaproject.
Joan Trian, financial director at RIU, added: “Today we are a step closer to the opening of our first hotel in Dubai. We are sure that our loyal clients will want to explore the new offerings of the city with us, and we look forward to attracting new customers to our joint venture hotel, too. Nakheel has proven to be the best partner for our entry in to the Middle East market, and we hope it is the first of other projects to come. In fact, this is a great step forward in our long-term expansion strategy in the Middle East and South East Asia.”
RIU Hotels & Resorts has almost 100 hotels in 19 countries, with around 45,000 rooms between them. The hotels welcome over four million guests a year and provide jobs for nearly 27,000 people.
