The People's Council questioned the Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of HCMC regarding the investment, upgrading, and allocation of facilities in the culture and sports sector, as well as the management, exploitation, and use of these facilities after they are invested in. They also discussed the preservation and promotion of historical and cultural heritage sites in the city and the management of advertising in the city.
Delegate Tran Quang Thang pointed out that in October, the Department of Culture and Sports organized a conference to attract investment in cultural and sports projects through the public-private partnership (PPP) model, and asked the Director for an update on the progress. The delegate noted that PPP implementation has been ineffective in several sectors and inquired about the department's strategies to attract investors.
Mr. Tran The Thuan, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of HCMC, responded that since the adoption of Resolution No.98, the city had reviewed and proposed a list of 21 PPP investment projects in the cultural and sports sector, which had been approved by the People's Council. The Chairman of the People's Committee of HCMC had directed relevant departments and agencies to assist in providing legal frameworks, capital, land, and preferential policies to attract investors.
Delegate Tang Huu Phong mentioned that many voters are frustrated with the progress of the Rach Chiec Sports Complex and the Phan Dinh Phung Sports Center. He pointed out that the Rach Chiec Sports Complex project has been delayed for a long time, preventing HCMC from hosting many major regional events, and even some international competitions. He asked the Director of the Department of Culture and Sports to explain whether the public is still benefiting from the sports facilities at these centers.
The Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of HCMC explained that the Rach Chiec Sports Complex was approved in 2000 with an area of 410 hectares. In 2002, the city revised the scale to 227 hectares. Eight years later, the People's Committee issued a decision to adjust the actual planning area to 80 hectares. In 2013, the Rach Chiec area was further revised to 222 hectares, with 180 hectares allocated for the sports complex managed by the Department of Culture and Sports, and the remaining area set aside for other projects by different investors.
Recently, the Rach Chiec area has become part of the new Thu Thiem urban area, and the city has had to conduct land compensation and clearance for the remaining area, which has required significant funding. This has made it difficult to implement projects in the Rach Chiec area. Furthermore, the city had previously sought foreign investment for several projects, but since 2019, due to changes in the Public Investment Law, the city has been unable to carry out any more PPP projects in this sector.
After reviving the PPP model, the city has continued to attract investment. Of the 21 PPP projects the city is calling for in the culture and sports sector, 16 are located in the Rach Chiec area, including a football stadium with a capacity of 50,000 seats. These are the city’s efforts to restart the development of the Rach Chiec Sports Complex.
According to the Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, the project was delayed for a period due to adjustments in planning, approval processes, and legal regulations that were outdated. The city is currently moving forward with the necessary procedures to ensure that the planning and investment for the Rach Chiec Sports Complex will proceed in the near future.
As for the Phan Dinh Phung Sports Center, this project, which was originally under a BT contract, was also temporarily halted due to historical factors. Recently, the city conducted a review of the project and identified issues related to the investor and legal matters. Therefore, the Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee has instructed to halt the PPP investment and shift to public investment. A task force consisting of relevant departments and agencies is now working with the investor to propose the most suitable investment method. The project is expected to be announced during the 50th anniversary of the National Reunification Day.
