Investors in Qatar are moving forward with plans for new shopping malls as the private sector begins developing new infrastructure that will support football’s 2022 World Cup.

There are a series of shopping mall in Qatar that are currently in the early stages of development. The most recent update is the appointment of US-based Hill International to provide project management services on the Boulevard Mall scheme in Doha.

Hill’s contract, which is valued at QR11m ($3m), involves managing the development and construction of a 182,000-square-metre mall that will include a hypermarket, cinema and family entertainment centre. It is expected to open in April 2017.

Bahrain-based Projacs International was recently appointed to provide project management services on two of the projects.

The first project is Vendome Mall, which will be built on a 187,000 sq m site in the Lusail development to the north of Qatar.

The total built-up area of the Lusail scheme will be about 847,000 sq m, and it comprises several components, including malls, hotels and serviced apartment buildings.

Completion is expected in the second quarter of 2017.

The second is a mixed-use development that will be built on about 16,000 square metres of land at the junction of Al-Matar street, which is also known as airport road, and Al-Mansoura street in the Najma area close to Doha International airport.

Completion is expected in the third quarter of 2016.

Developers in Doha are planning new shopping malls to enhance the Qatari capital’s retail offerings. In May, the developer of Doha Festival City shopping mall awarded a QR1.65bn ($453m) contract to a joint venture of local firms Gulf Contracting Company and Alec Qatar to build phase two of the mall.

Phase one of the development was completed in March 2013 and included the construction of Qatar’s first Ikea store. The mall will offer more than 550 brands, many of which will be making their debut in Qatar.

Local developer Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Development Company is also evaluating bids from contractors in Doha for the contract to build the estimated QR1bn ($272m) Doha Marina Mall after receiving bids in April.

Like the Vendome Mall development, it is located in the Lusail district to the north of Doha. It will have three levels of shops, a hypermarket, a cinema and outdoor terraces overlooking the marina. Work on the main construction contract involves completing all the buildings together with two underground parking levels. The total built-up area is 235,100 square metres.

Other malls projects are approaching completion. In September 2011, the UAE/Australian Al-Habtoor Leighton Group has been awarded an estimated $327m contract to build the Northgate Mall for local developer Equinox. As well as a shopping mall the development also includes office buildings.