Barwa RE Unveils Plans for $5.5B M-U Resort in Qatar

By Adriana Pop, Associate Editor

Barwa Real Estate, one of Qatar’s leading real estate management and investment companies, has launched a $5.5 billion residential and resort project slated to rise on an artificial island off the coast of Doha.

According to the Leisure Property Forum, the proposed Oryx Island development will feature beachfront luxury villas and condominiums, a water park, three permanent five-star hotels with stunning views of the Wesy Bay and Doha Corniche, as well as five floating hotels (using cruise ships) that will temporarily cater to spectators of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Combined, the hotels are expected to accommodate up to 25,000 soccer fans.

“We anticipate that there will be a short-term demand for hotel rooms, so maybe it is not wise to offer all these hotel rooms for only a short time. Oryx Island can accommodate 20,000 to 25,000 people. Cruise ships can be docked for one week, two weeks. It can be mobilized and demobilized for a short time,” Chief Executive of Barwa Abdulla al-Subaie told Reuters.

Plans also call for a commercial avenue featuring upscale shops and restaurants, an open-air theatre pavilion to be used for watching national and international events, a cruise ship terminal and a Maritime College with an associated Pearl Hunting School that will offer visitors the opportunity to learn about marine life and traditional pearl hunting methods.

Designed by HOK and ABS Architects, the pedestrian only island resort will not use traditional means of transportation. Instead, visitors will be able to opt between electrical vehicles, water taxis, ferries and private boats.

The Oryx Island development will provide three types of permanent residences: 135 villas of nearly 14,000 square feet, each offering six rooms and a garden, up to 100 private beachfront villas ranging from 14,000 to 18,000 square feet, as well as waterfront condominiums.

Located in the midst of the Arabian Gulf and near the new Hamas International Airport, the island will take the shape of an Oryx, a striking white antelope with lengthy horns that is indigenous to the Arabian Peninsula.

Still in the conceptual phase, the project is considered to be Qatar’s largest tourism investment. Construction is expected to span over seven years.

“Plans are intended to reflect the ambitions of the young state of Qatar, striding towards upgrading the Qatari community, and pushing it ahead to the ranks of other developed nations,” Barwa Real Estate said in a prepared statement.