Oman’s leading development company Omran said it was making available significant investment opportunities at Madinat Al Irfan, the country’s biggest urban development, with the release of 10 major land plots.

The company has called upon major players in the fields of oil and gas, banking, aviation, logistics to set up their bases at Madinat Al Irfan.

The investment opportunities unveiled by Omran include fully serviced land plots for head office buildings, educational institutions as well as hospitals.

This move comes as part of the company’s strategic efforts to make it the country’s new bespoke central business hub.

On completion, Madinat Al Irfan will essentially be a city within a city. It is being developed on a site extending to over 7.4 million sq m, and will have business parks, hospitals, schools, mixed housing and strategic link and transport to Muscat International Airport.

It is set to become a new benchmark for urban planning in the sultanate, offering a right mix of business and investors to set up their respected companies in a strategic central location and become the new business hub for the largest companies.

A world-class masterplan set for the project, includes world-class infrastructure components and allocating fully serviced utilities including power and water grids, road networks and high-speed internet services.

Omran is actively encouraging new and existing businesses, especially in the fields of oil and gas, banking, aviation, logistics and other services, to see the potential of Madinat Al Irfan, and Oman, as a viable hub for their regional operations, said a top official.

"We envision Madinat Al Irfan to set a benchmark for contemporary city planning and provide an exciting addition to Muscat’s new lifestyle offering modern Arab homes that are designed to meet the needs of modern family living but with the qualities of Oman’s cultural and architectural values," stated CEO James Wilson.

“We are benchmarking against world-renowned companies such as google Inc and other successful case studies that have set new standards in innovative business environments and working cultures. Through Omran, Oman’s government has made a significant investment on laying a platform for Madinat Al Irfan to be a world-class smart city, a model in how public authorities and the private sector can work together, to deliver such an ambitious and forward-thinking project," he added.

According to him, some of the biggest companies in Oman, such as Omran and Omantel, have already announced that they will relocate their headquaters to Madinat Al Irfan.

Discussions with a number of leading Omani companies such as Oman Air are presently under way.

Significant progress at Madinat Al Irfan has already been made. The Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre is now open and fully operational in preparation to host its first exhibition next month.

The convention auditorium and both four-star Crowne Plaza with 296 rooms, and a luxury five-star JW Marriott hotel with 304 rooms are also set to open next year. These properties will form part of the OCEC precinct, the key initial asset in the first phase of Madinat Al Irfan.

Salah Al Gahzali, the chief investment officer, said: “Oman has lots to offer for local and global investors and Madinat Al Irfan is our jewel in the crown. The development is being designed to integrate the needs of modern business and lifestyles.

"With the integration and mobility of the right mix of an urban city, the precinct will also be home to international private hospitals, school, hotels and not to mention a hi-tech exhibition and convention centre for meetings and networking opportunities all within the immediate reach of hundreds of employees who can choose to spend their day-to-day working activities that will have access to quality working lifestyle," he added.-TradeArabia News Service