Leighton awarded USD407 million equestrian centre project in Qatar

Operating as Gulf Leighton, Leighton is responsible for the construction of a world-class equine management facility that will include:

• An equine breeding facility
• An equine hospital
• An Olympic-standard indoor arena with adjoining outdoor arena
• A members' clubhouse and stables for members' horses
• State-of-the-art stables including separate facilities for different categories of Arabian horses such as breeding and show horses; endurance horses; dressage horses; and showjumping horses
• Staff accommodation
• Entertainment facilities
• A museum
• All associated infrastructure works

Work will commence later this month and the project is due for completion in December 2008.

Managing Director of Leighton Asia (Southern), David Savage, said that the new project was Leighton's first in the region and highlighted the potential of the Arabian Gulf market.

"We recognised the potential of the Gulf region some time ago, and established an office in Dubai in 2004 from which to investigate opportunities in the region," David said.

"We've spent most of the time since then getting to know the various markets. We've been prepared to be patient and we've been quite selective in the projects we have decided to pursue.

"We have been working closely with the Qatar Foundation for a number of months to finalise the contract, and I am delighted that we have been able to secure this important project with such a highly respected client," he said.

Mr Savage said that the new project takes Leighton Asia (Southern)'s work in hand to over US$900 million. He said that Leighton was pursuing a number of other building and civil engineering projects in the region, and that he hoped to announce another new contract in the near future.

"The Gulf region has emerged as an important market for us. We expect it to make a substantial contribution to our results for a number of years," he said.

The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is a private, chartered, non-profit organization, founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar. The Foundation aims to develop the potential of Qatar's people through a network of centres devoted to progressive education, research and community welfare.

The Al Shaqab Stud is internationally renowned for excellence in the breeding and showing of pure-bred Arabian horses. The academy will form part of Qatar Foundation's Education City, a 2,500-acre campus on the outskirts of the Qatari capital Doha that hosts branch campuses of some of the world's leading universities, as well as numerous other educational and research institutions.