Moroccan partnership for Braemar

30 June 2011

Scottish firm Braemar Golf has agreed a joint venture Compagnie Générale Immobiliére, one of Morocco’s largest developers.

The new company, Braemar Golf Maroc, will deliver Braemar’s full range of golf management and advisory services. The partners aim to develop and manage CGI’s current and future golf assets, and also offer services to other developers and owners in North Africa.

CGI general manager Mohammed Ali Ghannam said: “Initially we were looking at the traditional route of hiring a golf management company, but Braemar Golf’s innovative proposals to create a partnership that would provide long term benefits to both companies that third party operators cannot was very appealing. Our golf assets are an important part of CGI’s long term real estate strategy and we now have in place a partnership which will ensure they deliver commercially, assist the growing golf industry in Morocco and also ensure Morocco can deliver the quality standards expected of a world class golf destination which is part of the country’s tourism vision and strategy.”

Initially the focus is on two projects under construction; Casa Green Town in Casablanca and Chrifia in Marrakech. Casa Green Town’s golf course, designed by Jeremy Pern, is at the centre of a residential and commercial community. Eighty percent of the homes will be permanent residents of this new suburb of Casablanca. Chrifia is under construction with 14 holes of the course, designed by American architect Steve Forrest, due to be sprigged by the end of the summer.

Braemar MD Keith Haslam said: “We believe Morocco has huge long term potential both as an international golf destination and also within the domestic market. We see many Moroccans playing golf and it is certainly becoming very accessible.”