Omran, the Oman Government’s tourism development and investment arm, said it has completed a crucial first phase of construction of the site for second Asian Beach Games.

The first phase includes the construction of platforms for the Athlete Village, games court, hotel, Marina Apartments, car parks and the main entrance area.

The company also renewed its pledge to ensure the site would be fully functional in time for the games in December 2010.

The Asian Beach Games were established by the Olympic Council of Asia, and are held every two years. The 2010 Muscat Asian Beach Games will be the second event, following the inaugural Games in Bali last year.

Omran is developing the purpose-built site in Musannah to feature the very best sporting arrangements and facilities for visitors and participants, said a top official.

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

Work has also progressed on the waterfront elements, including the sailing park and swimming area, the platforms for which are now complete pending dredging work on the marina, said Wael Al-Lawati, CEO of Omran.

The marina itself is nearly a quarter complete, and has seen some 200,000 tonnes of rock delivered to the site for the construction of the breakwater, he noted.

'The Asian Beach Games represent a significant and exciting opportunity for Oman. As host of the 2nd Asian Beach Games event, we have the chance to demonstrate the country’s natural beauty, traditional hospitality and ability to create world-class tourism and sporting destinations,' he explained.

Omran is developing a purpose built site for the 2010 Asian Beach Games in a picturesque location near the coastal town of Musannah, an hour’s drive from Muscat.

“We are delighted to be able to announce significant progress of work on the site, which is taking shape in Musannah,' Al-Lawati stated.

'Equally important is that we have been able to meet our tight deadlines and high standards of quality without a single reportable health and safety incident.  This is a fantastic achievement,” he added.

The site will feature world-class sporting facilities, a three star hotel and meeting and conference facilities which will act as a magnet for future luxury developments, he said.

Al Lawati pointed out that there are active plans to repurpose the site once the Games are over as a sports-themed mixed-use development, retaining much of the buildings developed for the Asian Beach Games themselves.-TradeArabia News Service