Damac International says Mina al Sultan Qaboos’ (MaSQ) on-site discovery centre is currently being outfitted and will open its doors to the public in Q3 2019. As part of the transformation of MaSQ, the Discovery Centre, located across from the historical port is the first visible structure developed in strategic partnership with Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran), stated Damac.

According to a statement from the regional developer, a prequalification tender for the project construction works, consisting of phased residential, hotels and retail-phased development was made public in April. Qualified contractors were invited to be part of the $2 billion integrated waterfront destination, which includes public areas and entertainment offerings.

Wael Al Lawati, Senior Vice President for International Development at Damac said: “We look forward to welcoming our neighbours to discover our shared future, as we showcase our pride in the rich history of the port to our guests from around the world.”

“Having redefined urban development in the Middle East, our support in this landmark project was an obvious fit and underlines our ongoing commitment to the development of this region across market segments,” he added.

The development of the waterfront destination is in line with Oman’s National Strategy for Tourism 2040, led by Muttrah Tourism Development Company, a joint venture between Omran and Damac. Damac stated that for the first phase of the construction, obstructing structures have been cleared and extensive planning and place making research has been undertaken for the district surrounding MaSQ.

Located at the southern end of Muttrah Corniche, the MaSQ discovery centre will have views of the Gulf of Oman and house an Omani seafood restaurant operated by Bait Al Luban, Damac stated.