National Stadium to host 2 more games
Demolition delayed because paperwork for new Sports Hub yet to be completed
April 3, 2008
By Leonard Lim
IT HAD a grand farewell, complete with fireworks and a ceremonial dousing of the cauldron flame, nine months ago.
The turf was to be ripped off, the terraces demolished and the whole concrete structure torn down to make way for its $1.87 billion replacement.
Now the National Stadium has been given a stay of execution.
The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) confirmed yesterday that the 55,000-seater will host two more football matches involving the Lions - on June 2 and June14.
The reason for the delay is that the paperwork for the new Sports Hub public-private partnership project has not been completed.
When the project was first announced in April 2005, construction was expected to start last year and end by 2010. In 2006, the completion date was changed to mid-2011.
Then, a decision last June to include a water sports centre pushed the hub's completion date to late 2011.
Singapore's national footballers are not complaining. They can now play their last two World Cup Asian Zone thirdround home games against Group 4 leaders Uzbekistan and Asian giants Saudi Arabia in an arena rich with passion and soccer history from the Malaysia Cup days.
These games are critical for the team. With three points after two games, they are second in Group 4 and are on course for qualification if they can bag good results at home.
But not everyone is thrilled.
Some fans went to the Singapore-Australia soccer friendly last year, believing it was their last match there. It was a highlight of the official closing ceremony last June.
Then, 45,000 Singaporeans paid between $8 and $40 to join President SR Nathan, members of the Cabinet and prominent athletes in a tribute.
The reminiscing done, the stadium was expected to go.
But since then, it has been the venue of four national team matches - against Palestine (October), Tajikistan (November), Australia and Lebanon (last month).
At this rate, the Sports Hub is likely to be completed only in early 2012.
Reader Tan Shao Ken, in a recent letter to the Forum Page, said the SSC needed to explain why the stadium was still holding events so long after its 'closing' ceremony.
Mr Goh Eng Tat, an SSC director, told The Straits Times that given the delay in the project, the Football Association of Singapore had asked to use the stadium as a venue for the World Cup pre-qualifiers.
'The pre-qualifiers are a significant milestone for the football fraternity and more Singapore fans should be given the chance to be part of it,' he said.
So the SSC said 'yes' to having more soccer at the stadium.
By Leonard Lim
http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_223179.html
Demolition delayed because paperwork for new Sports Hub yet to be completed
April 3, 2008
By Leonard Lim
IT HAD a grand farewell, complete with fireworks and a ceremonial dousing of the cauldron flame, nine months ago.
The turf was to be ripped off, the terraces demolished and the whole concrete structure torn down to make way for its $1.87 billion replacement.
Now the National Stadium has been given a stay of execution.
The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) confirmed yesterday that the 55,000-seater will host two more football matches involving the Lions - on June 2 and June14.
The reason for the delay is that the paperwork for the new Sports Hub public-private partnership project has not been completed.
When the project was first announced in April 2005, construction was expected to start last year and end by 2010. In 2006, the completion date was changed to mid-2011.
Then, a decision last June to include a water sports centre pushed the hub's completion date to late 2011.
Singapore's national footballers are not complaining. They can now play their last two World Cup Asian Zone thirdround home games against Group 4 leaders Uzbekistan and Asian giants Saudi Arabia in an arena rich with passion and soccer history from the Malaysia Cup days.
These games are critical for the team. With three points after two games, they are second in Group 4 and are on course for qualification if they can bag good results at home.
But not everyone is thrilled.
Some fans went to the Singapore-Australia soccer friendly last year, believing it was their last match there. It was a highlight of the official closing ceremony last June.
Then, 45,000 Singaporeans paid between $8 and $40 to join President SR Nathan, members of the Cabinet and prominent athletes in a tribute.
The reminiscing done, the stadium was expected to go.
But since then, it has been the venue of four national team matches - against Palestine (October), Tajikistan (November), Australia and Lebanon (last month).
At this rate, the Sports Hub is likely to be completed only in early 2012.
Reader Tan Shao Ken, in a recent letter to the Forum Page, said the SSC needed to explain why the stadium was still holding events so long after its 'closing' ceremony.
Mr Goh Eng Tat, an SSC director, told The Straits Times that given the delay in the project, the Football Association of Singapore had asked to use the stadium as a venue for the World Cup pre-qualifiers.
'The pre-qualifiers are a significant milestone for the football fraternity and more Singapore fans should be given the chance to be part of it,' he said.
So the SSC said 'yes' to having more soccer at the stadium.
By Leonard Lim
http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_223179.html
