'Billion-dollar' trade centre unveiled
Gulf Daily News - [10/02/2007]
An Iraqi consortium has completed the first stage of what was billed yesterday as the billion-dollar Nishan Trade Centre in Arbil, northern Iraq and is to boast three 25-storey office towers.
Nizar Hanna, chairman of the Nasri Consortium and head of the project, said eight per cent of the centre city project had been achieved since 2002, and gave 2010 as the final completion date. Investors include his consortium, the Iraqi Trade Bank and the Al Omar investment group, Hanna said.
"We got the land from the government of Kurdistan for a symbolic price meant to encourage investment," he added.
Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani called the centre an important project that would create jobs for Kurds and help local businesses.
"Iraqi Kurdistan's doors are always open to investors," Barzani said.
Parking for 5,000 vehicles is also in the works.
The centre's designers were identified as the Dubai-based Middle East Company for Reconstruction.
