THE firm behind the US$1 billion development on Koh Puos, off the coast of Sihanoukville, will open a sales office and showroom in Phnom Penh early next month, in preparation for launching sales at the island resort.

Located in the PGCT Centre at the intersection of Sothearos and Sihanouk boulevards, the office is being assembled, and is already staffed by a handful of employees, according to Saing Heng, assistant to Koh Puos project director Andrew Halturin.

“We have yet to set prices, but we will begin costing and selling units on Koh Puos for December,” he said.

The massive $1 billion “exclusive” development has been planned since 2007. Phase 1 of villa construction and infrastructure development on the island is set to begin in November.

In July, Halturin told the Post the first phase consisted of residential seafront villas and low-rise apartments buildings, as well as island utilities, infrastructure and a ring road.

Future phases will see hotels, a casino, and other venues are to be developed in separate steps from 2011 to 2016, according to the project’s plans.

Andrew Halturin has said the purpose of Koh Puos development was to create a world-class recreational resort.