Sheikh Saud also gave details of an initial list of 22 planned construction projects, totalling $455 million, and on 19 new consultancy contracts for the upgrade of existing infrastructure. The Doha Asian Games Organising Committee, which is in overall charge of the 2006 event, is due to present its final masterplan to the Olympic Council of Asia in January (MEED 25:10:02, Cover story).

The initial list of construction projects contains new schemes, as well as projects already under way. The biggest single item is the $233 million Doha sports complex, followed by the $30 million Al-Wusail shooting range project - currently out to tender - and the $27 million redevelopment of Doha stadium (see table).

QNOC also took the opportunity of the Qsi event to announce the award of over $30 million worth of consultancy and construction contracts.

The main awards went to:

the local Contracofor the construction of two multi-purpose sports halls

the local Tadmur Tradingfor a $4.7 million contract to renovate and replace running tracks at the Al-Saad and Al-Arabi clubs

the local Satco Internationalfor a $1.6 million contract to construct a new multi-purpose sports hall at Al-Saad club

the local Cico Consulting Architects Engineers, with France's Tallibert, for the design and development of six first division sports clubs and post-contract services for the Al-Saad multi-purpose sports hall

the local Al-Sharq Consultingfor the drawing up of designs for the Al-Khaleej street sports complex.