A JV of the local Arabtec Construction and Germany's Max Boegl was also shortlisted for the contract, which involves the construction of a 25,000-seat stadium, expandable at a later date to 30,000 seats. The circular stadium will be the first to have a membrane roof coated with titanium dioxide.

The cricket stadium contract represents Alpine Bau's first in the UAE. The contractor recently completed the Munich stadium in Germany, which will host the first game of the 2006 football world cup.

DSC is expected to issue for bid in six-eight weeks its second major construction package covering the academy facilities and the 5,000-seat hockey stadium. It will be followed soon after by the release of tenders for the 10,000-seat multi-purpose indoor arena. The largest stadium, with 60,000 seats, is under design: it is due to be completed in 2009.

The local Wade Adams Contracting is already working on the infrastructure package (MEED 13:1:06).

Lebanon's Khatib & Alami is the road and infrastructure consultant; Australia's Clifton Coney Group is the project manager for the stadiums; and Germany's Architekten von Gerkan, Marg & Partners (GMP) is the architect and designer.