Israel’s Globes business daily is reporting that the IDF’s new “Training Base City” project in the Negev will be one of Israel’s largest construction projects ever. Financial Advisor to the Chief of the General Staff Brig. Gen. Maharan Frozenfar disclosed rare details about the project today; the base is to cover more than 250,000 square meters, and will transfer to the Negev from existing bases in the center and north of Israel more than 20,000 IDF soldiers and thousands of their family members. The direct cost of the entire project is estimated at NIS 25 billion currently. Allegedly, the base will contain its own transport network and will be "carless".The project began in 2003, and is scheduled to be completed by 2011.
The sites of the former bases to be evacuated in Ramat Gan, Ramat Efal, Lod, Ramat HaSharon, and elsewhere will return "highly valuable real estate" to the Israel Lands Authority, according to government sources.