Firm to restart work on Dh18bn Tunis Sports City

Sports Cities International, a subsidiary of Sharjah-based Bukhatir Group, will soon be resuming work on the Dh18-billion Tunis Sports City, company CEO told 'Emirates24|7'.

"For Tunis Sports City; infrastructure work had started already before the revolution, and stopped for certain time. We expect to resume the work soon," said Victor Shenoda, Chief Executive Officer, Sport Cities.

The city, spread across 256 hectares, was expected to be completed by 2025. With 30,000 expected residents, it would incorporate a residential district with an 18-hole golf course, 49 luxury mansions, two residential towns, 10 high-rise buildings, nine sports academies, a 10,000-seat outdoor stadium, a 5,000-seat indoor stadium and at least one Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Asked about plans of building sport cities in other parts of the world, Shenoda said: "The other sports cities development strategies are on hold in-terms of physical planning, however, that might be revived at any time."

In July 2009, company officials had told this website that they were considering launching the "sports city" concept in six countries, with India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam being the possible locations.

Dubai Sports City, formally launched in March 2004, is the flagship project of Bukhatir Group.

Set on 50 million square feet, the city features four stadia: a 60,000-seat multi-purpose outdoor stadium for rugby, soccer and track and field events, a 25,000-seat capacity dedicated cricket stadium, a 10,000-seat multi-purpose indoor arena for hard court games, ice hockey, concerts and other events, and a field hockey stadium for 5,000 spectators.

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