The Dh5 billion Dubai World Central (DWC) Aviation City has started tendering the first phase of the project, according to a top executive.
"The design of the Aviation City has been completed, and now we are tendering the first phase of the infrastructure," Rashed Buqara'a, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai AviationCity, told Emirates Business.
Asked when the first phase would be ready for opening, Buqara'a said: "It is going to take some time until we finalise the tendering process. We still need to finalise the tendering process."
He indicated if all goes according to the plan, the first phase would open in 2011. According to earlier reports, the DWC Aviation City had planned to start operations in 2009.
Established by the Dubai Government in November 2007, the DWC Dubai Aviation City acts as an umbrella organisation incorporating Dubai Airports Company, Dubai World Central (which will also house the Al Maktoum International airport), Dubai Air Traffic Navigation, biggest MRO facility and Dubai's other aviation-related assets. DWC Aviation City, spread over 6.7 square kilometres, is being designed as a one-stop centre for all aviation-related operations.
"Aviation City's unique investment and business opportunities bring significant benefits to the entire value-chain of the global aviation industry, including aircraft manufacturers, executive aviation firms, maintenance, repair and overhaul centres,'' Khalifa AlZaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation (Dacc), had said recently.
He added that Dacc aims to set new benchmarks for excellence in the region and the world.
Furthermore, the first phase of the Dubai World Central project is due to be fully completed and launched in June 2010, including the Phase 1 completion of Al Maktoum International airport, with a capacity to serve five to seven million passengers per year and more than 600,000 tonnes of annual cargo handling capacity.
Once fully operational, Dubai Logistics City (which is ready and has clients operating out of the facility) as well as the Aviation City will be surrounding the Al Maktoum International airport as a specialised free zone focused on the logistics, cargo and aviation industries.
