Kallang’s new venue aims to attract global events and support national athletes.
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Indoor Stadium, which has been a cornerstone of the nation’s entertainment and sports landscape for nearly 35 years, is set to be replaced by a state-of-the-art arena located nearby in the Kallang area. The new venue, which is currently in the early planning stages, promises to be “among the best-in-class globally,” according to Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Edwin Tong.
The decision to build a new arena comes in response to the increasing demand for higher power capacities and more sophisticated infrastructure that the current Indoor Stadium cannot fully support. Events such as concerts and major sports competitions often require additional electrical support, something the existing venue struggles to provide without significant extra resources. The new arena will be designed to accommodate top-tier international events and provide spectators with enhanced hospitality experiences.
“We cannot stand still while our competitors build more advanced venues. We must continually innovate if we want to continue attracting high-quality international events to Singapore,” Mr. Tong stated in parliament on Thursday.
The new indoor arena will be an integral part of the Kallang Alive precinct, which is being developed with the vision of hosting world-class events and serving as a home base for Singapore’s national athletes. However, the Singapore Indoor Stadium will remain in operation during the construction of the new venue, ensuring that event schedules continue without disruption.
The Singapore Indoor Stadium, which opened its doors in 1989 at a cost of S$90 million (US$67.1 million), has hosted a wide array of sports and entertainment events over the years, from concerts by international stars such as Kanye West and Tina Turner to World Wrestling Entertainment and Women’s Tennis Association Finals. The new venue will be designed to accommodate at least the same number of spectators as the current stadium, which can seat up to 12,000.
Attracting World-Class Sporting Events
To further bolster Singapore’s status as a global events hub, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) announced the creation of a Major Sports Event Fund. The fund, which will allocate S$165 million over the next four years, is designed to attract and support world-class sporting events such as Olympic Esports Week, the World Table Tennis Singapore Smash, and the HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens.
By securing major international events, Singapore not only enhances its global reputation but also inspires the local population. These high-profile sporting events allow Singaporeans to witness top athletes in action and provide opportunities for Team Singapore athletes to compete against the world’s best.
In addition to the Major Sports Event Fund, the government is expanding its sporting infrastructure with the development of new facilities, including the Kallang Tennis Hub, Kallang Football Hub, and new basketball courts in Bedok. Sport Singapore is also working to make sports more accessible with the construction of Sport-in-Precinct facilities located within public housing estates. Four such projects are currently under construction in Keat Hong, Pasir Ris East, Tampines North, and Whampoa.
