Work on the first phase of the 'Olympic Village' near Muscat that will host the second Asian Beach Games in 2010 is ahead of schedule, said Omran, the government’s tourism development and investment arm.

The project is being built on behalf of the Ministry of Sports Affairs and the Oman Olympic Committee.

Carillion Alawi, the contractor responsible for delivering the platform works, has been working on the site for the past four months and is currently eight days ahead of schedule, it said. 

Construction of the platform and the bulk earthworks, including levelling, filling and compaction, are currently taking place and are already 48 per cent complete.

Wael Al Lawati, chief executive officer - Omran, said: “Implementation of phase one is gong ahead at a very impressive rate, and we anticipate equal success with other phases. Other elements of work will start soon.”

The Olympic village will be located in a picturesque area near the coastal town of Mussanah, an hour’s drive from Muscat.  The entire project will be ready by June 2010. 

The legacy provided by hosting the Asian Beach Games will include world-class sporting facilities, one three-star hotel, and meeting and conference facilities that will act as a magnet for future luxury developments. 

The Asian Beach Games were established by the Olympic Council of Asia and are held every two years. The inaugural event will be held in Bali, Indonesia from October 18-26, 2008. - TradeArabia News Service