Project manager appointed for Asian games

26 July 2002

A key position in the 2006 Asian games project has been filled with the appointment of an Australian team, headed by GHD,as the prime consultant and project manager. GHD, which acted as project manager for the Homebush Bay site infrastructure on the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, will provide a variety of services, including planning, feasibility and consulting for all aspects of the 2006 event in Doha (MEED 12:7:02).

GHD's contract is divided into two parts. The first involves preparation of a masterplan, on behalf of the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee (DAGOC), which will be presented to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in January 2003. The masterplan will cover details of the proposed sporting venues, security, transport, accommodation and the opening and closing ceremonies. On phase 2, GHD will assist DAGOC in planning and implementation.

Other members of the GHD team include architects The Cox Groupand Peddle, Thorp & Walker, Sporting Frontiers (Aust), Capital Group, and TAFE Global. The team will draw heavily on the experience of officials involved in the Sydney Olympics. They include Sandy Hollway, former chief executive of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG), David Churches, who was senior manager in both SOCOG and OCA, and Rod McGeoch, the chief executive of Sydney's Olympic bid.

The hope among contractors is that now a prime consultant has been appointed, the infrastructure requirements for the 2006 event can be finalised swiftly, allowing for bidding to begin on the main packages. At present, the most advanced element is the estimated $100 million redevelopment and expansion of the Khalifa stadium site, which includes the construction of a new sports academy and sports hall. The site preparation contract has recently been awarded, while a team comprising the local Cico Consulting Architects Engineersand France's Tallibertis acting as engineering consultant.

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