National Stadium undergoes major facelift

Work continues at the National Stadium with the aim to give the stadium a major facelift with a international standard sporting ground, facilities, lights, a track and a seating capacity of 20,000 by the end of December.

Fiji Sports Council chairman Peter Mazey said the board, on the recommendation of its project managers and the Tender Evaluation Committee, has awarded the tender for the supply and construction of new light towers to Poly Products (Fiji) Ltd in association with Phillips (NZ).
 
Mazey said the tender price for the light towers and electrical works is $3.9M and this will be completed in seven months.

The new 40 meter freestanding light towers with 244 flood lights will ensure the National Stadium can host televised international sporting events and meet the requirements of the International Rugby Board, FIFA and the International Athletics Association.

This is the first of several tenders to be awarded for the $15M upgrade of the National Stadium.  

FSC chief executive officer Litiana Loabuka said the Sports Council has secured a commercial loan of $15M with the ANZ Bank to proceed with the project.

Part of the loan condition requires the FSC to pay $3M to ANZ every year so that the grant received from Government goes straight to the bank.

The government has agreed to give the Sports Council an annual grant of $3M for the next five years.


Story by: Vijay Narayan