Saigon is upgrading the majority of its sport infrastructure to prepare for the upcoming Southeast Asian Games.
According to Tuoi Tre, Saigon administration recently finished its final plan detailing how the city will play host to the region’s biggest sport tournament, the 31st Southeast Asian Games, or SEA Games 31. Specifically, municipal departments will have to shell out about VND15.6 trillion (US$685 million) to both build necessary facilities and to run various tournament-related activities.
The city will try to make use of existing infrastructure while also seeking help from other facilities in neighboring provinces like Binh Duong and Dong Nai. Starting now until 2021 when the regional event occurs, Saigon will expedite the construction of the Phan Dinh Phung and Rach Chiec stadiums to prepare for the SEA Games.
Plans to renovate the Phan Dinh Phung Sport Complex was announced last February. This will take three years and cost VND1.95 trillion. The sport complex will house events like gymnastics, table tennis, billiards and snooker.
The Rach Chiec Stadium, based in District 2, will be a major facility with at least 50,000 seats, space for track and field events and a football field. Construction on the project started last year and is expected to eat VND3.4 trillion (US$150 million) of the city's budget.
According to the news source, it was supposed to be Cambodia’s turn to host the 31st SEA Games, but the Southeast Asian Games Federation thought that the country wouldn’t be ready in time for the tournament. Therefore, Vietnam agreed to take charge of the upcoming SEA Games while Cambodia will handle the 32nd round in 2023.
[Photo via Tuoi Tre]
