Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran) and Majid Al Futtaim recently hosted an official foundation ceremony to further cement their partnership for the RO5-billion ($13 billion) Madinat Al Irfan, Muscat’s new ‘City for the Future’.

The ceremony, held under the auspices of Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal Al-Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of the Royal Court, featured the official reveal of the joint venture company between Omran and Majid Al Futtaim, named Madinat Al Irfan Development Company.

The company, which has been established to oversee the development and delivery of the new city, has a newly formed board of eight members, chaired by Talal Al Rahbi, deputy secretary general of the Supreme Council for Planning in the sultanate.

As the master developer of 4.9-million-sq-m of the core of Madinat Al Irfan, Majid Al Futtaim is currently crafting the first phase of the masterplan which includes serviced plots available for commercial, residential, educational, healthcare, leisure and hospitality developments.

Phase One of the city, covering 250,000 sq m, will be developed over the next five years and will include public amenities. When complete, this phase will be a vibrant mixed-use community that will serve as the new urban centre for Muscat.

Hawazen Esber, CEO of Communities at Majid Al Futtaim – Properties said: “Our ambition is for Madinat Al Irfan to become a catalyst for economic diversification in Oman, and a benchmark in sustainability and urban design for the region.”