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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Iconic buildings around old airport to be razed

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Muscat, Feb 16 - Iconic landmarks around the old Seeb airport are expected to soon make way for new developments. Until mid-2000, two buildings caught the attention of visitors to Muscat. They were: Golden Tulip Hotel Seeb and Oman International Exhibition Centre (OIEC). Things changed as the roundabout at the entry/exit of the old airport was replaced by new road and pedestrian bridges. These structures blocked the direct view of both the hotel and OIEC. With the opening of Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) at Madinat al Irfan, major exhibitions and conferences shifted to the new venue.


Oman Aviation Group (OAG) has floated a tender for the demolition of Golden Tulip Hotel for the development of a mixed-use project. OAG said both the local and international companies are eligible to take part in the bidding process.


Tender forms will be available until February 25. The last date for submitting tenders is March 14.


The hotel stopped accepting bookings from the middle of April.


“When I first arrived in the Sultanate in the 1990s, Golden Tulip, with its trademark blue signage, gave a parallel view as the flights touched down,” said Mohammed Hatem, an Egyptian expatriate.


“But that has changed as the runway shifted towards the November 18 road and new bridges disrupted the direct view. Still it’s good to know these changes are for the good,” he said.


“Golden Tulip Hotel was known for its proximity to the old airport. The public transport was underdeveloped and unorganised those days,” said Paul Breeze, a PDO employee.


Many new five- and four-star hotels have come up in the vicinity.


“Bausher, Ghala and Airport Heights are the New Muscat now. I am sure new structures will be swanky and smart,” said Ziyad, a bank executive whose office shifted to Airport Heights a few years ago.


In October 2018, OAG announced major opportunities for investment at the old Muscat airport terminal building.


Investments were sought for activities such as an aviation training centre, iconic brand retailer, three- to four-star hotels, F&B retail, smartly furnished offices, public transport, courier/ postal services and emergency/ general hospital.


The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) opened up for private investment redevelopment of the OIEC site spread over an area of 1,27,224 sqm, besides a few plots in Al Khuwair and Airport Heights.


The new township is expected to include the headquarters of MoCI, residential units for MoCI staff, a four-star hotel and service apartments and an office/residential complex, among others.


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