Hotel project valued at $22 million

Eng Ibrahim Alsaqabi, the general manager of KMC Holding - Kuwait declared that KMC- Bahrain signed a contract with Ishraq Gulf Real Estate the exclusive developer of the Holiday Inn Express brand of hotels in the GCC excluding Saudi Arabia, to start the constructing process of Holiday Inn Express hotel in Bahrain which will consist of 22 floors, 279 guest rooms and will open its doors in the Fall of 2009 and the project value will be  $22m.

And added that Holiday Inn Express Manama is the brand's first venture in Bahrain and the first outside of Dubai, It will join the three existing Holiday Inn Express properties in Dubai, namely Dubai Internet City, Safa Park and Jumeirah, and a fourth property in Dubai, strategically located opposite Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport, opens in January 2010, which will become the world's largest operating Holiday Inn Express property, offering 381 rooms.

Excited
"Sami Al Ansari, CEO of Ishraq Gulf Real Estate said": We are very excited about our entry into Bahrain and the opportunities its hospitality sector holds. We look forward to offering a unique product with the reliability and quality that have become synonymous with the Holiday Inn Express brand.

And he pointed out that Holiday Inn Express Manama is conveniently located in Bahrain's business district, just minutes away from Bahrain International Airport, the King Fahd Causeway, Bahrain Financial Harbour, diplomatic missions and the shopping district, emphasizing the increasing demand for budget and limited service hotels, especially branded ones that do not compromise on quality and provide great value with excellent accommodation and services that one would expect.

From his side John Bamsey, the Chief Operating Officer, IHG, Middle East and Africa said that IHG is delighted to again be working in partnership with Ishraq to develop Express by Holiday Inn Manama, pointing out that the limited service sector is a burgeoning new segment in the Middle East and IHG is committed to ensuring that we are at the forefront of this development.

Dedication
And added that three Express properties will open in such a short period, and that highlights their dedication to growing the limited service sector throughout the region, and continued that Bahrain's first Holiday Inn Express will be located in the heart of Manama's Exhibition Area between the central commercial, business and government districts, and  the property, with a total built up area in excess of 21,000 square meters, will include 17 floors of guest rooms and hotel facilities in addition to a multi-storey car park.

The hotel will offer a host of onsite facilities that include a mini-gym, an 'Express Communications Centre' equipped with essential business facilities such as fax, internet, printing and copying services, in addition to several meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 40 delegates, lounge, an all-day dining restaurant and a complimentary daily 'Great Breakfast'.

It is pointed out that Ishraq is majority-owned by Dubai International Capital, and is planning on continuing its regional expansion, developing further Holiday Inn Express branded properties in the region over the next few years. Locations of future properties will include Abu Dhabi.

KMC's regional growth strategy began in 2004 when the company established KMC Bahrain with an initial capital of BD 1 million (about 3.6 Million USD), the company's first venture outside of Kuwait.

Currently, KMC-Bahrain offers a range of services from developmental and project management to project construction. Due to its success, and leading expertise, KMC-Bahrain has joined forces with Bovis Lend Lease in a joint-venture project focusing specifically on project management for the prestigious Durrat Al Bahrain project. 

Bovis Lend Lease has worked in the Middle East since 1978 including high profile projects in Kuwait and across the rest of the Gulf.

Services
KMC Contracting is a fully-integrated engineering and construction company providing reliable construction services for Building, Civil Engineering and Infrastructure Projects for both Government and Private sectors.

 KMC offers unlimited possibilities to our clients, meeting their project objectives, and providing them with a strong commitment to quality, safety and time.

 KMC Contracting provides a complete range of Construction services such as Construction of commercial and residential complexes, office buildings, shopping centers, schools, Hotels, and more.
Aknan is a joint venture development between KMC Contracting and Nakheel and consisted of two major phases. Phase I was the contracting of the first 132 apartment residential tower and Phase II consisted of the second residential tower which housed 192 apartments, parking for 400 cars and an area for a state-of-the-art health club, 2-storey villas and a 9 storey clinic, linked to the main residential tower in one breathtaking complex. Its project value is approximately 10.4 million KD. 

KMC Saudi provides professional management and consultancy services to plan and manage construction projects from concepts through to occupation, apply fast track construction methods, strict safety and quality control measures, precise programmed management and exacting cost control techniques.

We genuinely believe that the experience that the company has gained in the management and delivery of world class projects, valued approximately $2 billion, has positioned our management and consultants as leaders in their fields.

© Arab Times 2010