Open Road Asia and Permodalan Kedah ink deal to develop RM1.3 bil motorsports facility in Langkawi

Last week, it was reported of plans to have an international-grade motorsports circuit up and running on the island of Langkawi by the third quarter of 2023, the development being a joint effort between Permodalan Kedah Berhad (PKB) and a private company.

Today, that project was made official with the signing of a joint venture agreement between Open Road Asia and PKB to construct the Open Road International Circuit & Integrated Resorts on a tract of 183 acres of sea-facing land in Bukit Malut. The agreement was inked in Alor Setar by Open Road founder and group advisor Datuk David Goh and PKB CEO Abdul Rahman Haji Din.

The planned facility will not only be home to a FIA-sanctioned motorsports circuit but will also house a fully-integrated resort, which will consist of luxury residential properties, high-end luxury retail outlets, five-star hotels, a number of 4S automobile dealerships as well as a 900-car storage facility, petrol stations and world-renowed restaurants.

The 5.8 km-long main circuit will be equipped with infrastructure that meets FIA Grade 2, FIM Grade B and CIK-FIA certification standards, which makes it capable of hosting ‘all world-class motorsport-related events’ excluding Formula 1 races. It will include one of the longest circuit straights in the world as well as banked curves and multiple downhill-elevation-drop hairpins.

“This ORIC Integrated project, with a gross development value of RM1.3 billion is expected to provide an immediate high impact economic boost to Langkawi and the state of Kedah, and Malaysia upon its completion. With a projected increase of high-spending and affluent tourists’ arrival both locally and internationally, it is envisioned that this project will help create an endless stream of business and job opportunities for Kedahans via the island’s economic expansion,” Goh said.

When finally up and running, Open Road Asia says the facility is slated to put Langkawi at the forefront of motorsports in Asia by being a new testing ground and racing destination for major automotive manufacturers, motorsports enthusiasts and racing teams the world over. Watch the virtual tour of the track – and related facilities – in the video below.