Dubai Sports City awards golf course construction contract for Victory Heights golf course

Construction of the golf course area that spans 86 hectares will begin at the end of this month and is scheduled for completion in May 2007, ready for the official opening of the golf course later that year. Up until now work on the site has consisted of rough-grading with over 1.1million cubic metres of sand shifted to enable construction to begin.

Septech Turnpoint will work closely with Troon Golf, the world leader in upscale golf course management, development and marketing, who are acting as golf development consultants for the The Dunes.

Khalid Al Zarooni, president of Dubai Sports City, upon signing the contract, said :" The golf course is an integral part of the Dubai Sports City project. We are very proud to have Ernie Els, one of the world's best golfers, involved in its design. It is imperative therefore that we work with the best partners and contractors available to ensure that the specifications of the course and the quality of construction meet with those expected by Ernie himself.

"We appointed the Septech Turnpoint team because of their international expertise and proven track record in golf course construction," he concluded.

David Heffernan, managing director of Septech, commented: "Septech is confident that its partnership with Turnpoint will give it an enviable edge in the Middle East region for design, build and maintenance of premier golf courses. With Turnpoint's reputation for producing world class golf courses in Australia and internationally, and our local knowledge of the market and expertise in water and wastewater treatment and irrigation, we believe we have established a unique company in the UAE.

He continued:

"Our joint venture is with a company whose core business is designing and constructing golf courses and through this partnership, our aim is to lead the industry in the region. We are proud to have been awarded The Dunes contract at Victory Heights as testament to our capabilities."

Victory Heights is a joint venture between Dubai Sports City and Arcapita, the Bahrain based Islamic Bank, and is Dubai's first truly mixed-use development. Aimed at local, regional and expatriate families, this unique gated golf residential community will offer comprehensive security and infrastructure, along with the services and amenities expected within a community, including local and international schools, a German Orthopaedic Sports Rehabilitation Centre, bike paths and walkways, all as part of a world-class range of sporting, entertainment and leisure facilities.

Over 900 spacious and elegant villas will be set around the 18-hole Ernie Els Design championship golf course, The Dunes, in landscaped grounds and open spaces. The Dunes will be Ernie Els Design's first golf course in the Middle East combining a links golf course with traditional 'classical era' design. At 7,452 yards from the back tees and featuring more than 60 bunkers, The Dunes will be a showpiece course that can be transformed from a friendly everyday player course to one that offers a challenge to the world's best golfers.

Robert Davies, Project Director of Victory Heights, said : " Victory Heights is unlike any other development being undertaken in Dubai and it was particularly important for us to find and appoint the right contractor for the golf course. Septech Turnpoint not only demonstrated an exceptional commitment to excellence and client satisfaction but also confirmed an impressive track record of previous developments - we look forward to work getting underway."