i think it should be fine if we're not hosting any major sports events but at least we'll have more NDPs with the skyline! :banana:

roving? ?

well they could have it in the heartlands at Bishan perhaps

Tender for Kallang sports hub opens next year

18 Nov 04

By Azrin Asmani

PLANS to turn the grand old dame in the local sporting scene - the National Stadium in Kallang - into a $650 million sprawling sports hub are under way.

The tender to 'design, construct and operate' the hub will be open to private companies next year, said the Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, in Parliament yesterday.

And the winner will be announced in 2006, he added.

In the meantime, a financial and legal adviser has been appointed 'to assist us in drawing up the tender specifications', said Dr Balakrishnan.

He was replying to Mr Zainudin Nordin (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) and Nominated MP Ng Ser Miang who had asked for an update on the sports hub.

The hub, whose construction is expected to start in 2007, is scheduled to be ready by 2010.

At the heart of it will be a new 55,000-seat stadium, which will replace the current 65,000-seat National Stadium.

Given its minimal impact on the training regime of local sportsmen, Dr Balakrishnan said there are no plans to build a temporary stadium in the interim.

Local and international sporting events can be held at alternative venues such as the regional stadiums in Jalan Besar or Choa Chua Kang as well as the Padang, he added.

Dr Balakrishnan also assured the House that the construction of the hub will not suffer from his ministry's decision to adopt the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme and farm out the work to private companies to take advantage of cost efficiencies.

It 'will not compromise the type and design' of the hub's facilities, he promised.

Dr Balakrishnan said his ministry and the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) would specify the basic design parameters and the types of facilities required for the private-sector developer to adhere to.

'We will aim for a design that befits a national sporting facility,' he added, yet is cost effective and operationally efficient.

He also spelt out the role of the SSC in the sports hub. Apart from reserving facilities for government and community use, the council will also work out the rental charges and ensure that the new facilities remain affordable to all.

whatever they build, I'm hoping for an interesting structure :yes:

geez..they should at least build a bigger capacity-stadium!

"long term thinking"

yer...I would be quite interested to know why they derived that figure. I just dont think land space constraint will be a problem

Circle Line Boulevard MRT station, which should improve accessibility to the area.

@Kit
I think having a bigger capacity stadium gives us the option to hold bigger events should the need arise and not just to be satisfied with what we have now. Since theyre starting from scratch, no harm having a shot at it.

Cliff said:

Won't there be a new station next to the stadium?

Click to expand...

fair enough.

Have they started demolishing the old stadium?

perhaps..but I was there a few months ago and its already starting to look run down...

looking forward to some brilliant design! :happy:

8 Jul 05

The stadium as growth catalyst

The world's leading sports architects and consultants to London's winning 2012 bid suggest Singapore's success with hosting the IOC has put it on the sports map. PARVATHI NAYAR talks to them about the importance of stadium design and new roles of stadia in energising cities


SPORTS as a legacy that revitalises a city and gives hope to a new generation - this was the imagination-capturing clincher of London's winning bid for the 2012 Olympics, and one that resonates with architect Rod Sheard's vision of the stadium as a tool of urban regeneration.

Mr Sheard, senior principal and worldwide board member of HOK Sport+Venue+Event, is a renowned expert on stadium design, and involved in such prestigious projects as the redevelopment of Wimbledon and Wembley Stadium. HOK Sport is one of the largest global sports architecture practices. In Singapore this week with Paul Henry, senior principal in the same firm, London-based Mr Sheard talks of the various roles that stadia might play, as in an Olympic bid. His team had worked as consultants in London's proposal. The technical appraisal of stadia is one aspect. However, 'a stadium more than any other building shows the level of commitment a city has, a microcosm of what the whole bid is about, what's going to happen after the Olympics. With London 2012, it's a little unusual.

'We've got great stadia in London, what we really want is the best athletics stadium. Athletics, at the Olympics, can sell 80,000 seats; at other times, even a city like London can't justify an athletics stadium with more than 25,000 seats. But rather than create a stadium that can take different sports, the idea is for a dedicated athletics stadium whose size can be adjusted. Flexibility in the London bid is about size rather than usage.'

Sports, in Singapore right now, is a top-of-mind topic with the nail-biting IOC decision. Time and resources are being directed towards the Singapore Sports School, the sports hub and new national stadium. Even a dedicated sports and active lifestyle shopping mall is in the offing, when the Novena Square makeover is completed next year to become VELOCITY @ Novena Square.

The HOK Sport team have been in informal talks for a few years now, on the proposed $650 million sports hub complex in Kallang. They are definitely interested in putting in a bid for what could well become their first major project in the region. A stadium must embody the location, and Mr Sheard says that 'for Singapore, what is done will be a unique solution'. Singapore's climate, for example, would suggest a stadium with a retractable roof that makes it weather-proof, and also converts it into a 'TV studio-like' multi-purpose facility.

'As a 'national' stadium, it has to represent Singapore,' Mr Henry elaborates. 'The decision to keep it in Kallang is totally the right one. It is in a position to act as a link between Singapore's urban centre and heartlands. The challenges will be keeping the hub active seven days a week as a vibrant part of the community, making it cost-effective; integrating the separate components like circuit, pool, stadium; including 'entertainment' components like restaurants and - key to its success - getting the retail mix right.'


As for the proposed new size of 55,000 seats, Mr Henry says it's a good one 'that offers a great range and good balance: large enough for atmospheric big events, and small enough to be personal. It's a unique branding opportunity for Singapore.'

Reports suggest that while the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports will distribute pre-qualification documents by the end of this month, the bidding process is not expected to start till next year. The 60,000-seat National Stadium at Kallang is scheduled to be demolished by 2007, with an eventual completion date of the hub set at 2010.

Making money



The building of a sports complex is a huge financial undertaking, and Mr Sheard is keenly aware of the need for a business model. 'The most important thing is that we know how to make money out of stadia; 20 years ago they were just paid for by the state as public facilities. The business model is fine-tuned now. Wembley is a good example, a 750 million project of which only 100 million is government money. The rest is private sector money, which is going into it for a return. It's all about having the best venue for sports and entertainment, and packing in as many opportunities around it that will support it.'

Such as ...? Well, 'every stadium has a different business model defined to some extent by their event schedule. At Wembley, with the FA Cup final, there are people who will pay any price to attend it. The objective is to allow as many people as possible to buy the package they want, capitalising that over a 10- to 15-year period produces revenue upfront.'

It's a neat plan: sell stadium seats long term, and if you sell enough, you raise quite a lot of money. The model was applied successfully to Stadium Australia for the Sydney Olympics, for which the HOK Sport team were part of a consortium.

There's more. Says Mr Sheard: 'More facilities are being packed around the stadium to make it a destination site. Arsenal is a good example, with a huge residential-commercial-retail complex coming up all round its new stadium. In fact when they recently put up the first 250 residential units - it sold in two hours. You get a season ticket to Arsenal free as part of the package; this might have encouraged the sales.'

In Singapore, UK property developer Galliard Homes are offering 225 apartments opposite Arsenal's new stadium. Citing examples of property prices around Villa Park and Old Trafford rising by 86 per cent and 51 per cent since the redevelopment of those stadia, the developers point out that buyers will get a guaranteed rental income for two years as well as the option to buy season tickets for the club's matches, bypassing long waiting lists.

So, stadia have evolved from simple concrete bowls to complex animals. But what, really, constitutes good stadium design today? 'Someone once told me the best stadium design was one in which his team never lost,' laughs Mr Sheard. All the behind-the-scenes support functions must run smoothly, but, importantly, a stadium must have a certain 'aura' that enhances the event experience.

This intangible aura is stadium-specific. Mr Sheard offers examples, also from his ongoing projects: 'At Wimbledon they have a very clear idea of the image of tennis they want to project; they want you to feel the weight of tradition, while bringing it up-to-date. In Arsenal they are about the future; they say, we want people to perceive us as being part of the 21st century.'


Creating aura

For a tangible example of how aura can be created, look to Wembley Stadium (scheduled for completion in 2006) and its new arch. Large enough to fit the London Eye within, the arch supports the roof, eliminates the need for pillars, and offers unobstructed views around the 90,000 seat stadium. At the end of the day it was cost-effective technology - but the Wow Factor is huge.

Talking technology, what's technically possible does influence design to an extent. Take retractable roof designs. That could well be a part of Singapore's new stadium. Mr Sheard gives the example of the hydraulically operated, folding fabric concertina roof, scheduled for completion next year over the centre court at Wimbledon. 'Work on this started five years ago, but 10 years ago, the folding fabric technology solution would not have been possible.'

The hosting of the IOC in Singapore shows what's possible with the scale and efficiency of event management, says Mr Henry. 'The sports hub is an opportunity to build on that. You say there isn't that much sports here now? That's not the point. The real issue is that there will be in the future, and the sports hub will be ready to meet the new demand. There's no reason why Singapore couldn't even host, say, the Commonwealth Games one day. Asia is on the cusp of big sports changes, and Singapore can lead the way.'

If sports has the power to capture hearts and minds, Singapore's proposed sports hub represents a real chance to do something visionary.

I truly hope for a visually stunning landmark for this

^

the last article sounds promising and exciting... kay:

with Singapore being conveniently sited in between :yes:

hyacinthus said:

I think London is far from 2 huge markets - China & India

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Fifa's retail licensee to relocate to S'pore

30 Sep 05


THE company that manages Fifa's global retail empire said yesterday it will transfer its world headquarters to Singapore from London later this year before its commercial rollout in 2007.


Global Brands Groups (GBG) cited Singapore's strong protection for intellectual property (IP), efficient business infrastructure and highly educated workforce.

The British company in March acquired the licensing rights to market Fifa-related merchandise. It now plans to develop and manage the Fifa stores set to roll out worldwide in 2007.

'GBG's decision to relocate its global headquarters... was based on (Singapore's) pro-enterprise IP strategy and the efficacy of Singapore's business infrastructure, including its highly educated workforce,' co-chairman David St George said.

Fifa is football's world governing body and is using the drawing power of the sport to market licensed products, Fifa events and specific football equipment.

The Singapore headquarters will also spearhead the creation and promotion of Fifa's consumer products and digital content such as online shops.

Besides Fifa, Global Brands also manages other brand names such as PGA Tour, Cartoon Network and Warner Brothers consumer products.

Singapore has been relentlessly promoting itself as a hub for intellectual property. - AFP

Olympics hub bid advances

28 Oct 05

US, Canada among those interested in training for Beijing 2008 in Singapore

By Alvin Foo

TO Singapore for preparations and fine-tuning, then on to Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.

The Singapore Sports Council has a vision of the Republic as a training centre for foreign athletes en route to the Olympic Games, SSC High Performance Group chief Wayde Clews told The Straits Times yesterday.

He said: 'The Beijing Games is only the third time the Olympics will be held in Asia after Tokyo in 1964 and Seoul in 1988.

'For (the contingents of) non-Asian countries with limited familiarity of the climate, people and food in this region, this could be a problem.'

This is where cosmopolitan Singapore, where a wide variety of clean food is readily available, can help.

There are still three years remaining before the Games, but countries such as the United States and Canada are already considering making their preparations here.

Canadian sports officials toured facilities here last week with a view to using the Republic as a training base for their entire contingent just weeks before the Games.

Earlier this year, officials from the US and New Zealand were here on similar recce trips. Australia, Denmark, Germany, South Africa and the Ukraine have also verbally expressed interest in using Singapore as a final stop before Beijing.

Clews said the Canadians now seemed the most keen, and may be planning to send an estimated 600 athletes and officials here.

'We are targeting countries that have been fairly successful in the Games so that our athletes and coaches can benefit from them while they're here,' Clews explained.

'This would also create a pre-Olympic hype here just before the Games.'

Singapore's own Olympic preparations could gain, he said, as our sportsmen would be able to compete and rub shoulders with top-level athletes during training.

This vision was unveiled just days after Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan suggested that Singapore could become a world-class training centre for world-class sportsmen.

But there is likely to be competition from other countries in the region such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan in a quest to be a training hub for the Beijing Games.

However, Clews felt that the successful staging of July's 117th International Olympic Committee Session here could prove to be the Republic's trump card.

'The seamless running of that event makes it much easier for us to market this concept,' he said.

Also on Singapore's side is that it is in the same time zone as Beijing.

And it has a similar climate to the Chinese capital in August - when the Games will be held, which will make it ideal for athletes seeking to acclimatise.

It would not be the first time that Singapore's facilities have been used to prepare for major sporting events in the region. In 1998, a group of Australian swimmers including Ian Thorpe trained here a month before the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia.

In 2002, the Uruguay football team played their last warm-up game here before going to South Korea for the World Cup Finals.

Last year, the Australian swimming team trained here for 10 days en route to the Athens Olympics.

Checks with some National Sports Associations here revealed that initial steps to use Singapore as a training base for the Beijing Games have already been taken by some countries.

Singapore Athletic Association president Tang Weng Fei said that they have been contacted by athletics officials from the US and Germany.

Singapore Swimming Association vice-president Oon Jin Gee said that the US and Canada are exploring possibilities.

Said SingaporeSailing president Low Teo Ping, whose association has been approached by officials from Australia and New Zealand: 'Singapore's an ideal location. Our wind conditions are similar to Qingdao, where sailing will be held.

'With excellent infrastructure and cultural similarities, it'll be smooth sailing for them all the way to Beijing.'

This next mega-development of the Kallang area will complement the new downtown well :yes:

indeed...Kallang bay itself it set to be a watersports zone...and not just that...the whole park-connector network will be enhanced I believe....probably can walk all the way to Bishan!

Sports Council considering naming rights for new Sports Hub

5 Oct 06



SINGAPORE: The Singapore Sports Council wants a new and fancier name for the Sports Hub that is expected to be completed by 2011.

The Council is also considering offering naming rights for the new multi-million dollar project.

The National Stadium, the great old dame of local sports, will give way to the new $600m Sports Hub, which will comprise a 55,000-seat stadium with a retractable roof, among other facilities.

Oon Jin Teik, Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Sports Council, says: "We are looking at naming rights from all different angles, from very small areas to large buildings, and at the end of the day, it depends on what the demand of the corporate sponsor will be, and I think we will work with the winning bidder, to formulate something that makes it conducive for them to operate in."

There is certainly demand from the private sector like Emirates, which struck up a £100m sponsorship deal to name English team Arsenal's new stadium after it.

Stephen Chu, Area Manager of Emirates in Singapore and Brunei, says that Emirates will definitely look into the possibility of acquiring naming rights when the Sports Hub comes up, depending on the reach that one can get out of it.

And more big players have shown their desire to be part of Singapore's biggest sports infrastructure project.

James Tan, Director of Marketing for Adidas in Singapore and Malaysia, also says that Adidas will consider viable avenues that will allow them to communicate to the public that it is important to have a sporty lifestyle.

The Singapore Sports Council adds that the consortium that wins the bid to build the Sports Hub must be familiar with sponsorship and naming rights.

By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia