The highs and lows of the Sports Hub

Lee U-Wen
Published Fri, Jun 10, 2022 · 06:10 PM

The Sports Hub - Singapore’s largest public-private-partnership project - will be owned and managed by government agency Sport Singapore from Dec 9 this year. The S$1.33 billion facility in Kallang, which became operational in 2014, has experienced its fair share of highs and lows since. Here is a snapshot of what’s made the headlines over the years.

Jan 2008 - Singapore Sports Hub Consortium awarded the tender to build the Sports Hub

Aug 2010 - Consortium signs contract with the then-Singapore Sports Council (now Sport Singapore) to design, build, finance and manage the facility

Sep 2010 - Old National Stadium demolished; Groundbreaking ceremony for construction of new stadium is held

Nov 2013 - OCBC named Premier Founding Partner in a 15-year sponsorship deal worth over S$50 million

June 2014 - The first events take place, including the Southeast Asian Swimming Championships, World University Floorball Championship and the World Club 10s rugby tournament

GET BT IN YOUR INBOX DAILY

Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.

VIEW ALL

July 2014 - The poor quality and suitability of the National Stadium pitch attracts international attention. It would take several years before the issue is resolved

Aug 2014 - The National Stadium hosts its first football match, with Italian giants Juventus defeating a Singapore Selection 5-0

Oct 2014 - Brazil beats Japan 4-0 at the National Stadium in an international friendly, with Neymar scoring all the goals in front of 51,577 spectators

Oct 2014 - A WTA Finals tennis match at the Indoor Stadium was paused due to a water leak from the roof. Singapore hosted the season-ending WTA Finals for 5 years from 2014 to 2018

Dec 2014 - A leaking roof at the National Stadium resulted in a backlash from fans attending the Jay Chou concert. There were also numerous complaints about the poor quality of the stadium’s sound system

Dec 2014 - Sports Hub announces it will replace the National Stadium pitch with a “lay and play” solution, and bear the full cost

May 2015 - The new “lay and play” turf is laid on the National Stadium, winning praise for its smooth surface

June 2015 - Singapore hosts the SEA Games, with the National Stadium the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies, and many key events.

July 2015 - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong officially declares the Sports Hub open.

Dec 2015 - The Sports Hub’s first CEO Philippe Collin-Delavaud departs after being at the helm since 2011

Dec 2015 - Sports Hub Pte Ltd (SHPL) places S$26 million price tag on 35 extra rehearsal days for the 2016 National Day Parade (NDP), though this was reportedly lowered to S$10 million. The total cost of staging the parade reached S$39.4 million - nearly twice what it would cost to host it at the Marina Bay Floating Platform

Aug 2016 - The only NDP to be held at the National Stadium to date. The event was marred when the fixed-roof scupper lights failed to display the national flag during the parade.

Sep 2016 - Another Jay Chou concert experiences issues with the National Stadium’s sound system, leading to some 1,500 fans to ask for a refund

Dec 2016 - The Straits Times reports that several National Stadium suite owners are unlikely to renew their contracts after enduring a threadbare events calendar in 2016

Apr 2017 - British band Coldplay performs 2 sold-out concerts at the National Stadium

May 2017 - Sports Hub’s second CEO Manu Sawhney quits, after an anonymous letter of complaint was sent to one of the equity partners in SHPL.

June 2017 - Argentina defeats Singapore 6-0 in an exhibition match to mark the 125th-year anniversary of the Football Association of Singapore.

June 2018 - Sports Hub and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announce strategic partnership with the Ultimate Fighting Championship for its first multi-year live event deal in Asia-Pacific.

Jan 2019 - Sports Hub’s third CEO Oon Jin Teik announces resignation, with talk at the time suggesting there was a disagreement between him and SHPL on the direction of the Sports Hub.

April 2019 - SHPL chairman Bryn Jones becomes Acting CEO, staying in this role for 10 months

Dec 2019 - U2 performs 2 sold-out shows at the National Stadium

Feb 2020 - Former STB chief Lionel Yeo officially takes over as the Sports Hub’s CEO, a role he holds to date.

April 2020 - Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, migrant workers moved in to the National Stadium and other facilities at the Sports Hub, where they stayed for 138 days in total.

Oct 2020 - One Championship holds the first sports event to welcome back spectators since the start of the pandemic, with 250 fans in attendance at the Indoor Stadium

Dec 2021 - The National Stadium is one of two venues for the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 football tournament.

Jun 10, 2022 - Sport Singapore announces it will take over the ownership and management of the Sports Hub from Dec 9.

KEYWORDS IN THIS ARTICLE

READ MORE

BT is now on Telegram!

For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to  t.me/BizTimes

International

SUPPORT SOUTH-EAST ASIA'S LEADING FINANCIAL DAILY

Get the latest coverage and full access to all BT premium content.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Browse corporate subscription here