Abu Dhabi real estate developer Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) has invited companies to prequalify for building projects on Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region.

The successful bidder will build two lodges, a conference centre, a water sports centre, and an equestrian facility.

The lodges, known as Savannah and Flamingo, both have 30 guest rooms and cover an area of 6,000 square metres each. The Savannah lodge will be built in the centre of the island, and the Flamingo lodge will be built on the island’s eastern shore next to mangrove swamps.

The conference centre will cover an area of 3,100 metres and will be built in the north of the island. The diving and watersports centre will cover 1,900 square metres. The equestrian centre will be a single-floor building, covering 3,500 square metres and will be built in the southwest of the island.

TDIC plans to complete the buildings by August 2010. It says it will tender the contract in late December and make an award in January.

Sir Bani Yas is 9 kilometres off the emirate’s coast, approximately 250km west of Abu Dhabi Island.

The projects on the island are part of TDIC’s $3bn Desert Islands scheme that covers eight islands and a coastal strip in the Western Region. Besides the projects on Sir Bani Yas Island, the scheme includes hotels, marinas and nature reserves on Dalma Island and the Discovery Island (MEED 4:5:07).