HLG secures $515 million project

Habtoor Leighton Group (HLG) has been awarded a $515 million (Dhs1.9 billion) contract by the Al Habtoor Group as part of the $1.33 billion (Dhs4.875 billion) Habtoor Palace hotels development in Dubai. Under the agreement, HLG will be responsible for the construction of what will become the largest integrated hotel complex in the Middle East, comprising a five-level podium, one 36-storey tower and one 25-storey tower within a total GFA of 350,000 square metres. The landmark development will include 1,600 hotel rooms, spread between three hotels (lifestyle, luxury and main, an iconic Las Vegas-style ‘aqua’ theatre, a French provincial-inspired garden and food and beverage venues. The new development will be located on the site of the existing Metropolitan Hotel - Dubai’s oldest hotel — on Sheikh Zayed Road at the southernmost point of the ‘Old Town’ development, which includes the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall. Design for the development commenced on Jan.1, 2012. Demolition of the existing Metropolitan is scheduled to commence at the end of March with early works likely to begin in June 2012. The development is scheduled for completion on the second half of 2016. HLG CEO and Managing Director, Laurie Voyer, said he was delighted to have reached agreement with the Al Habtoor Group on such a large-scale project. “We have successfully completed a number of projects for the Al Habtoor Group in the past - including the Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa and Metropolitan Palace Hotel - and have always maintained a good working relationship with them. Our team has spent the better part of six months working with the team from the Al Habtoor Group to finalise the contract for this prestigious project,” he said.