The success of Qatar National Convention Centre, Doha, which opened 18 months ago and just hosted the high-profile COP 18, the United Nation’s world climate change conclave, in November, and of Mercedes-Benz Arena, Shanghai, have not gone unnoticed in Asia and China.
Venues Today identified 12 projects underway in that part of the world. As always, pending sporting events are a big driver, but capturing a slice of the international convention and meetings market is no less attractive to governments there.
Singapore Sports Hub, scheduled to open in April 2014. It will be part community gathering place, part world-class training venue for athletes, and will be open every day all the time.
Qatar has won its bid for World Cup 2022 and will build several new sporting venues in Doha. At least some of the stadia will be designed to be dismantled and given away, possibly to some soccer-crazy North African nation, said Harvey Lister, AEG Ogden.
On the convention side, Oman is preparing the site for its convention and exhibition center, which will be finished at the end of 2016. “They’re also building major hotels, a shopping mall, and a range of other facilities,” Lister said. “It’s one of those national building programs that allows the country to be able to take its turn in hosting major national and international meetings.”
Mark Collins, who is based in Singapore for Global Spectrum Asia, updated Venues Today on Shenbei (China) Arena, which has been delayed due to funding/finance issues.
He further identified activity in Macau, where Global Spectrum has been appointed by a major casino operator to provide a market study and design recommendation for an arena project on the Coati Strip.
The Dalian Arena opens this year and is being managed by AEG China.
Collins is also pursuing “multiple projects in Hong Kong, as the Hong Kong government considers the pathway for a new 50,000+ seat stadium and major 15,000+ seat arena” and is in early-stage discussions with the owners of the 50,000 seat Philippines Dome for venue management.
Interviewed for this story: Harvey Lister, +61 732 65 5888; Mark Collins, +65 6340 9202