The local Al-Fahim Group has invited contractors to bid by 19 November for the new tower it plans to build at Dubai Media City on a plot next to the Dubai Pearl development.

The prospective bidders are:

• Ali & Sons (local)
• Al-Futtaim Carillion (local/UK)
• Al-Naboodah Contracting (local)
• Arabian Construction Company (ACC – Lebanon)
• China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China)
• Multiplex (Canada)

The 43-storey mixed-use tower will be built across the road from the Dubai Pearl and will overlook the Palm Jumeirah. It is understood that the main construction contract will be tendered later this year.

The local NSCC has been awarded the piling contract. The consultant for the project is US-based Aecom. The project manager is the US’ JLL.

There has been little progress on the Dubai Pearl project in recent years and tower cranes have been removed from the site. The local/Australian Habtoor Leighton Group was awarded a AED8.85bn ($2.4bn) contract to build the development in November 2008.