Oman News

Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran) announced its successful completion of the construction work package of Madinat Al Irfan Theatre as part of Oman Convention & Exhibition Center (OCEC) project.

As part of the soft opening, the Madinat al Irfan theatre in OCEC has recently hosted regional and international events and has received bookings for various events and activities from organisers and institutions wishing to hold major concerts and various cultural and recreational performances.

Madinat Al Irfan Theatre is the largest lyric theatre in the Sultanate and one of the largest theatres in the region within a purpose-built and fully -integrated business precinct.  The venue serves as a one-stop destination for businesses and events industry. Equipped with adequate facilities and supporting hospitality assets, OCEC will become the preferred choice for various events and activities in the Sultanate, thus contributing to the Sultanate’s position as a world-class tourist destination.

Commenting on the successful completion of the construction work package of Madinat al Irfan Theatre, Eng Said bin Mohammed al Qasmi Senior VP of Project Management at OMRAN said, “We are so proud that we have successfully completed the construction works of Madinat Al Irfan Theatre. The theatre stands out as one of OCEC major facilities designed in accordance with the highest international standards. As a major OCEC facility, the theatre will contribute to enriching the arts and culture activities in the Sultanate and will also act as a major destination for events and a unique tourist attraction for tourists.”

“OCEC is distinguished with its strategic location in the capital city of Muscat and is considered the anchor project carried out by Omran in Madinat Al Irfan—the future urban destination for visitors from and outside the Sultanate,” added Al-Qasmi.

“We welcome all companies specialized in the organization of grand events to Madinat Al Irfan Theatre which serves as an ideal platform for enriching the experience of OCEC customers and visitors interested in attending and holding various events in accordance with the highest international standards,” said Said bin Salim al Shanfari OCEC’s CEO.

“The theatre is equipped with state-of-the-art Audio Visual (AV) and lighting technologies. The cabling infrastructure of the theatre is made of equipped with titanium cables for lighting which provide high-resolution colors using ArtNet technology. The theatre is also equipped with a world-class sophisticated sound system in line with an internal broadcast video system which screens high-resolution video programs saved on standard spaces,” added the CEO.

The design of Madinat Al Irfan Theatre was inspired by Sultan Qaboos Rose. It is a three-story building which can accommodate up to 3200 people. The iconic theatre will serve as the region’s unique platform for hosting of cultural events and musical performances and concerts.

The OCEC adopts the highest conferences management standards and includes 19 separate conference rooms in addition to an auditorium with a capacity of 456 people. The precinct also has two additional ballrooms. The grand ballroom can accommodate up to 2688 people and can be divided into fully equipped six or three separate halls. The small ballroom accommodates up to 1026 people and can be divided into two halls of equal space if the need arises.

The completion of the second and final phase of the project will boost the Sultanate’s capacity to provide integrated facilities for hosting local, regional and international conferences, exhibitions, meetings, and special events. As a driver for businesses and tourism movement in the Sultanate, the project is expected to support the economic diversification agenda and local economy. Moreover, it will strengthen the efforts undertaken by the Sultanate to provide new job opportunities of Omani youth as well as business opportunities for local companies and small and medium enterprises.

Muscat: Khazaen Economic City, the master developer of the largest public-private-partnership project in Oman, has awarded the first construction package to Galfar Engineering & Contracting for OMR 9.2 million.

Galfar is expected to begin construction in October of this year and will be responsible for developing 10 km of asphalt roads, a streetlight network, 15km of stormwater channels, and a 22km potable water network including the main water transmission line and storage tanks. The project is scheduled for completion within 12 months.

Khalid Awadh Al-Balushi, Chief Executive Officer of Khazan Economic City, said: “The development of a high-quality infrastructure network at Khazaen Economic City demonstrates our commitment to this project and will serve as an important catalyst for growth – attracting investors and tenants alike.

The first phase of development will open up an area of 3 million square metres, representing a major investment opportunity in one of the Sultanate’s key infrastructure initiatives. We encourage all interested parties, both foreign and domestic, to submit investment applications at the earliest available opportunity.”

Eng. Salim Al Thuhli, General Manager of Project at Khazaen Economic City, added: “The awarding of this initial infrastructure contract will enable and support the development of all subsequent initiatives and projects at Khazaen, and establishes fully serviced platforms for local and international investors. Today’s announcement demonstrates that the Khazaen project is well underway, and is being conducted in line with the highest international standards. We look forward eagerly to the completion of this phase, which is expected within the next 10 months.”

The award of the contract to Galfar Engineering & Contracting, which has been linked to a number of the largest and most prominent public and private construction projects in the Sultanate, follows the announcement of the detailed master plan for Khazaen Economic City last month.

Khazaen is strategically located in Barka, between Muscat and Sohar, and will cover an area of ​​52 square kilometres in its first stage. The city will serve as Oman’s northern logistics hub, connecting many key development projects across the Sultanate via its extensive dry port facilities. Khazaen will also host dedicated areas for commercial, industrial, and residential use, whilst also providing the residents of the wider region with new health, education and leisure facilities.

Khazaen Economic City is the master developer of a world-class fully-integrated economic city over 52 million square metres, located 60km north of Muscat.

Over the coming 20 years, Khazaen is expected to attract various local and foreign direct investments into the city.

The new economic city will include a dry port along with residential, commercial, and industrial zones, as well as a business hub. Khazaen will be developed in several phases to become an integrated city, located strategically between Oman’s capital and Sohar free zone.

The Sultanate is considered as one of the fastest growing countries when it comes to infrastructure. Due to the flourishing construction industry, it has become a sought-after destination for investment.

RO3.7bn allocated for infrastructure development

Giving a fillip to infrastructure sector, the Sultanate’s government has allocated RO3.7bn for infrastructure development, industrial and services projects in its 2019 budget.

Total investment spending is estimated at RO3.7bn in 2019, including RO1.2bn allocated for infrastructure projects, which are overseen by various government units; and an amount of RO2.5bn to be utilised by some state-owned-enterprises for the implementation of projects in industrial and services sectors.

The 9th five-year development plan (2016-2020) attaches great importance to construction development by ensuring optimum utilisation of resources and investment opportunities in the various governorates in the Sultanate.

The private investments shall be in:

• commodities production activities (32.6%)
• services activities (37%)
• infrastructure (29%)

Contribution to Oman’s GDP

The construction industry accounts for a 9 per cent share of Oman’s GDP and is the country’s largest employer.

The Oman construction market is expected to register a CAGR of 6% over the forecast period, 2019-2024.

The government has said that the spending on development projects will not be cut to ensure the completion of all ongoing projects without delay.