The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has proposed to the municipal People’s Council invest in 18 sports projects through the public-private partnership method, aiming to address deficiencies in sports facilities that the city has faced over the past decade.

Among these projects, up to 16 are earmarked for Thu Duc City. 

The remaining two sports initiatives include a new outdoor sports training and competition facility in District 11, requiring an investment of over VND465 billion (US$19.1 million), and a swimming pool within the Cultural and Sports Center of Binh Tan District with an investment surpassing VND199 billion ($8.2 million).

The flagship project is the construction of a new major stadium in Thu Duc City, featuring a roof, a seating capacity of 50,000, and an athletics track, requiring a staggering investment of VND7 trillion ($288.2 million). 

Following closely is the bicycle racing complex in Thu Duc City, comprising a 5,000-seat grandstand, a racing track, and an outdoor football field, with a total investment of VND4 trillion ($164.7 million).

Another general sports stadium project in Thu Duc City, with an investment of VND3 trillion ($123.5 million), comprises a main stadium with 10,000-seat stands and two auxiliary fields with 1,000-seat stands, covering an area of 3.63 hectares. 

An indoor stadium is designed for athletics such as javelin throwing, hammer throwing, discus throwing, high jump, and pole vaulting, with an investment of VND1.5 trillion ($61.7 million). 

A tennis arena project, featuring a 5,000-seat grandstand and an outdoor tennis court cluster, is set to receive an investment of VND1 trillion ($41.2 million).

A competition and practice swimming pool project are also in the works with an investment of VND1 trillion. 

Further projects include a new football academy and a cluster of six outdoor football practice fields, attracting an investment of VND1 trillion, and a futsal arena boasting a 3,000-seat grandstand with an investment of VND800 billion ($32.9 million). 

Notably, a medical and health rehabilitation center, aimed at promptly supporting the health of athletes and the general public involved in training and sports competitions, will receive an investment of VND500 billion ($20.6 million).

This proposal comes in response to the deterioration of Thong Nhat Stadium in District 10, one of the city’s largest, with its current capacity of nearly 14,400 seats. 

Despite ongoing renovations, the stadium’s limitations, including a degraded athletics track and insufficient capacity, hinder the growth of sports in Ho Chi Minh City. 

As a result, international matches featuring the Vietnamese national football teams predominantly took place in Hanoi and northern provinces like Phu Tho, Quang Ninh, and Ha Nam - each boasting commendable stadiums - for several years.

Football enthusiasts in Ho Chi Minh City rarely had the opportunity to spectate these matches live in the city.

Moreover, the absence of stadiums dedicated for young athletes poses a challenge for the city’s football. 

Young players must rotate between two fields at Phu Tho Indoor Sports Stadium, where rain and flooding further complicates training sessions.

The proposal thus aims to address these challenges and provide better facilities for the city’s sports development, a move welcomed by sports expert Doan Minh Xuong.

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