US-based Hill International has been appointed by local developer Meraas Holding to provide show and ride construction management services for the first phase of the Dubai Parks & Resorts development in the Jebel Ali area of Dubai.

Hill’s two-year contract is worth AED186.9m ($51m).

Meraas recently released details of the AED10bn project. It was launched in 2012 and includes individual attractions that will be developed in partnership with foreign partners.

The first phase will comprise three theme parks: Motiongate Dubai; Bollywood Parks Dubai; and Legoland Dubai. The development will also feature an entrance plaza known as Riverpark and a family-themed hotel known as Lapita.

The first phase is scheduled for completion in 2016. Ground work commenced onsite in February 2014.

Several contractors are working on theme parks development including the local Khansaheb Civil Engineering and the UK’s Kier. The project manager is South Korea’s Samsung C&T.