Abu Dhabi receives bids for stadium contract

24 June 2010

The 65,000-seater stadium will be built at Capital City District

Abu Dhabi government-owned investment firm Mubadala Development Company has received bids for the contract to build an estimated $1bn football stadium in the UAE capital.

At least five groups have submitted bids for the 65,000-seater stadium project.

They are:

  • China’s Sinohydro Corporation
  • France’s Bouygues with the local/Lebanese Arabian Construction Company (ACC)
  • South Korea’s Samsung Corporation/Germany’s Ed Zueblin
  • Japan’s Taisei Corporation/Beijing-based China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC)
  • France’s Vinci Grands Projects/Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC)

The closing date for bids was earlier pushed back by a month to 21 June from 24 May.

The 65,000-seat football stadium will have a retractable roof and is part of the new Capital City District development next to Khalifa City, between Mussafah and Abu Dhabi International airport (MEED 12:2:10).

Mubadala held talks with Ed Zueblin in 2008 to design and build the stadium. The discussions failed to lead to a contract award, although Zueblin did complete piling and enabling works.

UK firms Mott MacDonald and Arup are the project manager and engineering consultant respectively. Davis Langdon, also of the UK, is the cost consultant.

US-based John Buck International had also been working on the project although its role has now ended.

A much smaller stadium that is also planned for the emirate has recently been put on hold. Abu Dhabi General Services (Musanada) has put on hold its planned AED350m ($95m) football stadium at Baniyas City.

Musanada has halted the scheme while it waits for feedback from the project client Baniyas Sports Club, says a source close to the project. It is not clear if and when the project will restart.

Baniyas City is located in Abu Dhabi emirate between Abu Dhabi city and Al-Ain.

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