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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.
Introducing the Muscat Mole: Yiti
Reviewed by Sythe
on
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Rating:
Reviewed by Sythe
on
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Rating:
Hmmmm..... screw development projects!
ReplyDeleteFunny I was just wondering about that project too and especially after the successful opening of Sifaway Hotel ay Al Sifa, and the Murirya green golf course well in to construction, so I've been told - all part of the Muirya project which looks to being ticking all the above mentioned boxes that the Yit project was suppose to provide.
ReplyDeleteA green golf course would indeed provided jobs, retail and much more, if you notice where ever golf makes a foot print, the revenue generated is staggering but it needs to be built & managed smartly, and more so in this region where golf is an emerging industry and Tourism is developing. Together golf tourism and Oman as a destination would be a wining formula managed by the right people.
Yes, that's exactly what Oman needs in the middle of beautiful Majestic Mountains - a barren, artificial golf course.
ReplyDeleteStaffed by Indians....
ReplyDeleteBy the way Mutts, can I post here as "The Ghubra Gopher"?
ReplyDeleteWould you not prefer the Seeb Surfer? :P
ReplyDeleteOr the Mirbat Magician?
Barka Bug?
:P
Golf courses built in the ITCs have least grassed areas compared to Muscat Hills as part of efforts being made to conserve water. Only the tees will be grassed. So,yes it is artificial, but balanced enough to promote tourism and cause least damage to the environment.
ReplyDeleteThis is me again. Trying to comment for the 7th time today. I hope it works :)
ReplyDeletethe Sama Dubai complex in Medinat Al Alam opposite the Opera house has been boarded up. that is not a sign of a healthy company.
ReplyDeleteYou are exactly right Anonymous..
ReplyDeleteAlong with environmentally friendly golf course, they should also build a green parking lot, along with an eco-mall.
They could build a roller coaster that runs around the mountain all the way to the top, without doing any harm.
I think that's balanced enough to promote tourism and cause least damage to the environment.
Yiti could not have been success, the plans were to axe all the small scale business in wadi kabir which is now the hub for oman second hand car parts and small and medium scale industries.
ReplyDeleteI always wonder the hummans plan but there is one much greater planner on top of everyboy