Contractors are competing for two major shopping mall construction deals in Riyadh.

Construction companies expect Dubai-based developer Majid al-Futtaim to tender the estimated $1.5bn-$2bn contract to build its Mall of Saudi development by the end of October this year.

The retail centre in Riyadh will be one of the largest in Saudi Arabia when completed. It involves the construction of a mall on an 866,500 square-metre site that will include a 26,000 square-metre indoor snow park, and 300,000 square metres of shops, restaurants and entertainment areas.

Consultants on the project include US-based CallisonRTKL, Lebanon’s Khatib & Alami, and UK-based Faithful & Gould.

Contractors are also competing for a construction contract on the Avenues shopping mall development in Riyadh for Shomoul Holding.

The scheme includes a retail centre with a leasable area of 400,000 square metres and a total built-up area of 1.4 million square metres, as well as hotels, residential and office buildings.

The bidders are understood to include Cyprus-based Joannou & Paraskevaides (J&P), Italy’s Salini Impregilo, and a joint venture of India’s Shapoorji Pallonji and the local Al-Fouzan Trading & General Construction.