Belgium’s Six Construct has been awarded an estimated SR2bn ($533m) contract to build the 60,000-seat stadium at the King Abdullah Sports City development near Jeddah.

Six Construct, in partnership with the local Al-Muhaidib Trading & Contracting Establishment, was competing for the project against at least another five groups for the main construction package on the sports development. UK-based Arup is the consultant on the scheme.

When King Abdullah Sports City was approved by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud in February 2009, it was planned to cover an area of 9 square kilometres, 60km north of Jeddah alongside the Mecca-Medina highway, including a 100,000-seat stadium and several other sporting venues and structures. However, the project was downsized in late 2010 and it is currently only the 60,000-capacity stadium project being tendered.

Oil major Saudi Aramco was given the task of developing the scheme on behalf of the government in 2009. In 2010, it tendered road building and enabling works for the project. The enabling works involves earthworks, such as general site levelling and preparation.

State oil company Aramco has become a prominent civil construction client in recent years. In February, it awarded UAE-based Drake & Scull International a SR2bn ($533m) contract to build the commercial buildings for the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies Research Centre (Kapsarc) in Riyadh (MEED 13:2:11).