MANAMA, 18 January 2005 — Development plans for the $750 million Al Areen Desert Spa & Resort project to place it on a fast track implementation to be ready by 2008 were unveiled yesterday in the midst of promises by developers that the project would help attract foreign investment and promote family and health tourism in Bahrain.
The announcement came during a press conference where officials signed an agreement appointing the Lebanese-based Erga Group to undertake the master planning and urban design of the project.
Al Areen Desert Spa and Resort Holding Company chairman, Sheikh Ahmed ibn Ali Al-Khalifa, said that this was the first development of its kind in the region.
“The project has been conceived as a destination for relaxation and rejuvenation facilities, coupled with tourism and leisure activities, with modern residential units,” he told a press conference.
Erga Group with its international partners Borja + A4 (Chili), Ia Hogan (UK), abd Francois Gauthier (France), will be providing solutions concerning the master planning and feasibility of the project in addition to schematic and detailed designs, tendering, and site supervision according to officials.
Erga Group managing director, Elie Gebrayel said that the project — which is promoted by the Gulf Finance House (GFH) bank - was promising to be a one-of-its-kind resort in the Middle East. Al Areen Desert Spa and Resort Holding Company vice-chairman, Esam Janahi, said that the project represented a strategic diversification for the GFH and an important part of the bank portfolio of projects in Bahrain and the region.
“Since its formal launch in January last year, the project has evoked considerable response from potential investors and development partners,” he said.
“In the coming several months we will make other milestone announcements about the project which will further galvanize its development, which is on track to be fully completed by 2008”.
The project which encompasses an area of 2 million square meters, was officially launched in January 2004.
In April 2004, the Ministry of Finance and National Economy and GFH announced the setting up of a holding company for the project with an issued capital of over $128 million.
The project aims to create an authentic desert experience.
The Al Areen project, which will be within the Al Areen Wildlife Sanctuary adjacent to the Bahrain International Circuit and within a 25-minute drive from the city center of Manama, consists of four major components — a spa resort, themed hotels, residential communities, commercial and entertainment facilities, and a water park.
The spa resort, will be developed on an area of 85,000 square meters at an investment of $50 million.
The residential communities will encompass various internationally themed neighborhoods consisting of residential villas and low-rise apartment buildings distributed over different clusters.
Built on gradually decreasing elevations within the different clusters, the residential community will be set amidst gardens and walkways overlooking the desert landscape and the Al Areen Wildlife Sanctuary.
The villas will vary in size and can be customized to meet the requirements of buyers. One of the prime developments of the Al Areen project will be Bahrain’s first world class water park, “The Lost Paradise of Dilmun” to the northern edge of the development — facing the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) and overlooking the Al Areen WildLife Sanctuary across 81,000 square meters.
The park will be designed to recreate Dilmun, Mesopotamian and Macedonian ruins, ancient artifacts and replicas of real historical sites.