Developers yesterday announced that the Doha Festival City project, which will include an IKEA store, has finally broken ground.

Construction on the site, along Al Shamal Road, was meant to get under way some five months ago. The first phase of the project, including the much-anticipated IKEA home goods store, is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012.

The QR6 billion Doha Festival City complex would also include retailers such  as Toys R Us, Marks & Spencer and Intersport, an entertainment park, automotive zone and even international hotels.

Credit: Photo by Gerard Stolk