Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran) has awarded the deal for the third package of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre to Indian contractor Shapoorji Pallonji.

Shapoorji Pallonji submitted a low bid of RO106m ($275m).

The work involves constructing the main auditorium, with a seating capacity of 3,100, a secondary 450-seat auditorium, two ballrooms, a food court, 20 meeting rooms, roads and car parks.

The convention centre is due for completion in 2017.

The 1.7-square-kilometre complex is divided into more than 10 packages, of which package three is the largest.

Omran awarded the second construction package to the local/UK Carillion Alawi for $202m in June 2013. India’s Larsen & Toubro will build a 300–room four-star Crowne Plaza at the site. Construction on a five-star Marriott hotel is also expected to start in 2015.

UK-based RMJM is the main consultant.

Omran expects the convention centre to contribute more than $750m to strengthen the local supply chain and create 15,000-18,000 jobs by 2030.

The convention centre, Oman’s first attempt to break into the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) market, is part of a wider tourism investment strategy. The programme is intended to boost visitor numbers to the sultanate and diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons.