Ho Chi Minh City to auction investment packages in Vietnam’s largest stadium

The winning stadium design put forward by Nikken Sekkei

The announcement was made by the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee at the working session with Bouygues Batiment International Company, a subsidiary of Bouygues.

At the working session, the French company expressed interest in the 50,000-seat stadium project that will be implemented for the 31^st Southeast Asia Games (Sea Games 2021) to be hosted by Vietnam from during late November and December 2021, according to newswire Saigontimes.

The representative of the company said they have significant experience in designing and developing sports complexes. They have already constructed a sports complex in Singapore. The representative also said that apart from the stadium, they would consider other items in the complex.

According to the investor, it would take three years to complete the construction of the stadium. Thus, the city will have to accelerate the approval process so that the construction can start on time.

In the hosting scheme of the 31^st SEA Games, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee proposed the government to build a 50,000-seat stadium with the total investment capital of VND3.45 trillion ($151.8 million) called from the private sector. The city committee will provide numerous favourable conditions for the investors joining the project.

The stadium is one of the most important items in Rach Chiec sports complex. The city will re-build the entire infrastructure in and around the complex.

According to the calculations of Nikken Sekkei, which won a contest for the best 1/2000 zoning plan for Rach Chiec sports complex, the complex will cost VND34 trillion ($1.5 billion).

According to the plan, the complex would cover 180 hectares, down from the 466 hectares approved in 1994. As planned, the city will spend VND7 trillion ($308.06 million) compensating households affected by site clearance during 2017-2020 to make room for the construction of facilities at the complex.

According to newswire Saigontimes, to date, at least four domestic and foreign firms have expressed interest in developing Rach Chiec sports complex, including Nutrition Food JSC, Thai Son Nam Co., J-Code Group from Japan, and South Korea’s Vietnam Sports Platform.

Vietnam Sports Platform offered investing $195 million in building an international-standard stadium, comprising of an indoor bike race track and an outdoor motorcycle race track, on an area of 15 hectares. In return, the investor wants to operate the stadium and receive a license to run a sport betting business on the premises.

Meanwhile, J-Code Group offered to develop the technical infrastructure at the complex under a public-private partnership (PPP) format.

Thai Son Nam sought to build a futsal field on 11 hectares, while Nutifood proposed developing a modern football academy covering five hectares at the sports complex.

Bouygues Batiment International is a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction specialising in complex construction projects around the world, with more than 40 years of track record. Present on five continents, Bouygues Batiment International draws on a strong local presence with a network of well-established local offices as well as the significant engineering expertise of its head office.