Mina Al Sultan Qaboos’ (MaSQ) on-site discovery centre is currently being outfitted, and will soon open its doors to the public, announced DAMAC International, a leading regional developer. Located across from the historical port, the Centre is the first visible structure in the transformation of Mina Al Sultan Qaboos into a modern waterfront destination, a development in strategic partnership with Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN), the government’s tourism development arm.
The space will offer unparalleled views of the Arabian Sea and aims to enrich visitors’ with the rich heritage of Muttrah. Located at the southern end of the Muttrah Corniche, the MaSQ Discovery Centre will also house an Omani restaurant operated by Bait Al Luban, where visitors can enjoy fresh seafood against the stunning backdrop of Muscat’s prized port.
Highlighting the importance of the Discovery Centre for the city, Wael Al Lawati, Senior Vice President for International Development at DAMAC, said, “We look forward to welcoming our neighbours to discover our shared future, as we showcase our pride in the rich history of the port to our guests from around the world… Having redefined urban development in the Middle East, our support in this landmark project was an obvious fit and underlines our ongoing commitment to the development of this region across market segments.”
A prequalification tender for the project construction works, consisting of phased residential, hotels and retail phased development was also made public. Qualified contractors were invited to be part of the transformation of the historical port into a USD 2 billion integrated waterfront destination, including whimsical public areas and entertainment offerings.
The development is in line with the National Strategy for Tourism 2040, and led by Muttrah Tourism Development Company, a joint venture between OMRAN and DAMAC. Since the initial announcement of the joint venture, extensive project planning and research for Muttrah, the district that surrounds Mina Al Sultan Qaboos, has been undertaken, while obstructing structures have been cleared for the first phase of construction.
 Discovery Centre, located at the southern end of the Muttrah Corniche, will be open to public in the third quarter of 2019){kind=link}