Sports hub delayed but will be built

Source : Straits Times - 27 Apr 2009

THE sports hub project in Kallang may be facing setbacks, but Singapore will eventually have a new national stadium.

Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan gave his assurance on this yesterday, saying the proposed $1.87 billion sports complex would not be abandoned.

He was responding to a question at a dialogue during a ministerial walkabout. A resident had expressed concern about the numerous delays in the project.

A group named the Singapore Sports Hub Consortium won the bid to build the Sports Hub in January last year, but there has been little sign of progress.

The old National Stadium was due to be torn down in April last year but it is still standing. Last week, the consortium said the economic crisis was causing difficulties in financing the project, sparking more speculation over its health.

Yesterday, the minister stated categorically that work on the sports hub would go ahead.

‘I will give you that assurance, we will be building a new sports hub. The timing is a bit flexible because, right now, the consortium whom we have intended to award it to, they have to raise funds from the banks and you know because of the financial crisis, the banks are also checking two, three, four times before they lend money,’ he explained.

But he emphasised that the Government would not rush the project.

‘In picking the time and the way we approach this project, we can actually build it without wasting money,’ he said.

There is no hurry because a national stadium is not required for next year’s Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

He also gave an update on the YOG preparations, saying work on the physical infrastructure was ‘on track and on time’.

But equally important was to make sure Singaporeans understood that the event belonged to them, he added.

‘You must feel that this is your event, this is Singapore inviting the world.

‘We want to show the world that Singapore is a multi-racial, multi-religious, young country, which exemplifies Olympic values.’