The local/Lebanese Arabian Construction Company (ACC) has won the estimated AED800m ($218m) contract to build the Rosewood Abu Dhabi Hotel on Sowwah Island.

The project covers the construction of a five-star hotel with 189 rooms and 139 serviced apartments, a retail area, basement parking and other facilities including a swimming pool, health club and spa. The total built-up area is about 100,000 square metres.

The other companies that submitted bids for the project in October 2009 were the local Alec; the local/UK Al-Futtaim Carillion; a joint venture of the local Al-Habtoor Engineering Enterprises and South Africa’s Murray & Roberts Contractors (Middle East); and Oger Abu Dhabi, a local subsidiary of Saudi Oger (MEED 23:10:09).

The architects are the San Francisco-based Handel Architects and the local Serex International. The structural engineer is Seattle-based Magnusson Klemencic Associates. The mechanical, electrical and plumbing consultant is UK-based WSP. EC Harris, also of the UK, is the quantity surveyor.

Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Development Company is the client for the hotel. It is also responsible for the development of the rest of Sowwah Island, located between Reem Island and the port area of Abu Dhabi Island.

Mubadala is currently evaluating bids from contractors for the contract on the estimated AED5bn Cleveland Clinic project to be developed on the island.

Work is already under way on other parts of the island. Oger Abu Dhabi has been building the estimated AED4bn Sowwah Square development since mid-2007, and the local Al-Naboodah Construction Group has been working on the island’s infrastructure since mid-2008.