Leighton Asia (Southern) has been awarded a US$64 million contract in JV with Kier Dubai LLC for the construction of roads and infrastructure for the Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group’s City of Arabia development in Dubai.

Operating as Gulf Leighton LLC, Leighton Asia (Southern)’s share of the project is worth US$32 million.

The joint venture is responsible for the construction of 15 kilometres of roads in and around the development, five bridges, and underground services including drains, sewers, water mains and telecommunications. Work will commence immediately and the project is due for completion in August 2008.

The project is Leighton Asia (Southern)’s first in Dubai. It follows the award to the company last month of the US$407 million Al Shaqab Equestrian Academy in Doha, Qatar.

The City of Arabia is a US$1.1 billion, 1.8 square kilometre development at the heart of Dubailand, and serves as its gateway and main residential and retail centre. The development will contain business and administrative offices, schools and clinics, luxury apartments, shops galleries, restaurants and a theme park.

Dubailand is a 280 square kilometre entertainment and leisure development that is integral to Dubai’s aim to become one of the world’s top tourism destinations.

The Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group was established in 1988 and owns a number of companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The two brothers, Ilyas and Mustafa, are from one of the leading merchant families in the UAE and are major operators in the property, automotive, jewelry, hospitality, food storage and food retailing industries.

© 2006 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)