The local Katara Hospitality, formerly known as Qatar National Hotels, has invited contractors to submit bids for the substructure and basement works contract on its planned Katara towers hotel project at the Lusail Marina district in the Qatari capital of Doha.

The developer has set a submission date of 4 January 2015 to submit bids for the substructure contract.

The Katara Towers hotel will feature two towers, which will contain a total of 614 rooms. The hotel is planned to open in 2017.

The Katara group’s hotel is one of several new major real estate projects planned for the Lusail development. The local developer Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Development Company is planning to develop the estimated QR1bn ($272m) Doha Marina Mall in the Lusail district.

MEED recently reported that the client had asked contractors bidding on the mall to extend the validity of their tender bonds. Bids had been submitted in April for the project.

Located in the Lusail district to the north of Doha, the mall 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.

Mazaya signed a deal with Qatar Foundation to build and manage the mall in 2010.