At least seven contracting groups have submitted bids for the contract to build the estimated $1.4bn expansion of the Atlantis resort on the Palm Jumeirah.

The bidders include:

• Al-Futtaim Carillion (local/UK)
• Alec (local)
• Arabian Construction Company (ACC) (Lebanon)
• Arabtec Construction (local) / TAV(Turkey)
• Bel Hasa Six Construct (local/Belgium) / Ssangyong Engineering & Construction Company (South Korea)
• Brookfield Multiplex (Canada)
• Habtoor Leighton Group (local/Australia)

Known as the Royal Atlantis Resort and Residences, the hotel building will be built next to the existing Atlantis hotel, which opened in 2008 on the crescent of the Palm Jumeirah. The new 800-room, 46-storey hotel will be managed by Bahamas-based luxury hotel developer and operator Kerzner International. The development will also include 250 luxury residences, as well as retail outlets. The property is scheduled for completion by 2017.

New York-based Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates is the architect for the project, and Canadian-owned WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff is providing a broad range of engineering and environmental consultancy services. London-based GA Design has been appointed to do the interiors for the resort and US-based SM Design is working on the interiors for The Residences. 

UK-based Faithful+Gould is the project manager. Kerzner International is the development manager. The project client is the Investment Corporation of Dubai. ICD bought a equity stake in Kerzner International Holdings in 2014.