Recently I have been contacted by an anonymous writer who wanted to know if they could contribute articles to Muscat Mutterings... and here we are! They wanted to be known as the Muscat Mole, which I thought was a fairly fun moniker :)
Hopefully this will become a semi-regular thing! Here is the mole's first story......
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Yiti Golf Course shelved
Strong rumours are being heard that the golf course planned for the Integrated Tourism Complex (ITC) at Yiti have been shelved. The Yiti show complex and offices by the Sarooj bridge, in Muscat, have hoardings around them, looking like demolition is on its way.
Remember back to January 2007, when Sama Dubai announced the following:
“Sama Dubai, the international real estate investment and development arm of Dubai Holding, will exhibit its US $1 billion 'Salam Resort & Spa - Yiti' development at the International Property Exhibition to be held in Muscat, from 16 - 18 January at the Oman International Exhibition Centre.”
This picture shows an artists impression of the hotel and spa, as planned. The site is huge, 3.7 sq km, and an many of you know, lots of ground clearance and works in the wadi have been done, along with construction of the marina area. A large part of the wonderful beach has been lost, along with village buildings.
Muscat Mole hears that development is still planned, with hotels, but no golf course, and no real confirmed news has been made public. Who owns the land now, and are Omran re-planning the development?
Surely what is needed is a development for Yiti to create jobs and houses for the locals and those from Muscat, sustainable businesses and entertainments, all at prices which can be afforded. Let’s hope that this can be done.
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le fin.
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