Dijaya Corp Bhd and Ivory Properties Group Bhd will jointly develop a land in Penang that could generate RM10 billion in gross development value.

The project in Bayan Mutiara, Penang, will be undertaken by a joint-venture company called Tropicana Ivory Sdn Bhd (TISB).

Dijaya will hold 49 per cent of TISB, while Ivory Properties will have the remaining 51 per cent.

The development covers 41ha of land, of which 27ha is existing land. Another 5.6ha will be reclaimed.

The land is being bought for RM1.07 billion. It will be converted into a mix of residential, shopping mall, hotel, office suites, office towers, retail spaces and open mall with boulevard.

It will also include construction of Grade A offices and a specialist medical centre if needed.

The development will be completed over the next eight years and work on the first phase is scheduled to begin next year.

Under the deal signed yesterday, Dijaya will extend financial assistance to TISB in the form of shareholders advances, guarantee, indemnity or collateral of up to RM525.4 million or 49 per cent of the total consideration of the development land.

Ivory Properties may also provide financial assistance of RM482.5 million for the same purpose.

The first tranche of the RM1.07 billion land purchase will be funded through internally generated funds by Ivory and Dijaya.

Subsequent payments will be funded through a mix of internally generated funds and/or bank borrowings.

SOURCE: Business Times