Belgium-based Besix Group and Qatar’s Midmac Contracting Co have been awarded a $740 million contract to build the Doha Convention Center & Tower in Qatar.

The client is Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company. The project is planned to be completed by March 2011.

Besix Group's share in the contract is $370 million, said Orascom Construction Industries (OCI), which is a 50 per cent shareholder in Besix Group, a report said.

Besix Group's scope of work entails all structural, architectural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing works for the convention center and its two level basement. It also includes the structural works for the retail space and its three level-basement as well as all the foundation works for the 550 meter-high main tower.

The Doha Convention Center & Tower is planned to be a mixed use development which includes a hotel, offices, residential, convention/ exhibition center and retail spaces. The tower will have a built-up area of 220,000 sq m and the convention/exhibition center 97,500 sq m. Also there will be a retail built-up area of 40,000 sq m.

Parking is planned to be accommodated in a two-level basement under the convention
center with a built-up area of 135,000 sq m and a three-level basement under the retail spaces with a built-up area of 100,000 sq m. - Marketwire