What will My Dinh complex be like when a 'super' stadium appears?

Vietnam is preparing to build an extremely modern stadium, the largest in the country with more than 60,000 seats in Hung Yen, capable of hosting large-scale events such as the World Cup and ASIAD. So what will My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi be used for to avoid waste?

MY DINH STADIUM UNDERGOES A COMPLETE RENOVATION

Inaugurated in 2003, serving the 22nd SEA Games, My Dinh National Stadium was once the pride of Vietnamese sports . After more than 2 decades of use, this project is being comprehensively renovated with a total cost of about 10 billion VND from the state budget. This investment is divided into two phases. Phase 1 is 8 billion VND, used to renovate the ground of the stadium - including digging and renewing the entire foundation, and reinstalling the drainage and irrigation system according to international standards. This is the first time since 2003 that My Dinh has had its ground re-built. Phase 2, with the remaining 2 billion VND, will be used to lay new grass, expected to start construction in early 2026. Thus, the appearance of My Dinh Stadium is gradually being revived so that it can remain an important sports and cultural institution of Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular.

After being renovated, My Dinh Stadium will be more beautiful.

My Dinh Stadium's foundation was redone after 22 years of use.

PHOTO: CHI DAT

According to the national sports planning, the 60,000-seat stadium to be built in Hung Yen will become the most modern project in Vietnam, capable of hosting regional and continental tournaments. The appearance of this "super stadium" raises a big question: How will My Dinh be used in the future?

STILL HAVE TO BE FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT

Some experts believe that My Dinh Stadium with a capacity of 40,000 seats can still be used to host matches of the Vietnamese national team at regional and continental levels, and large-scale cultural and artistic programs, if the stadium does not fall into disrepair.

As a financially autonomous unit, the My Dinh National Sports Complex can still operate well when renting out the facility to host major events; at the same time, it can be repurposed as a reserve stadium, serving youth teams or grassroots sports activities. In addition, the area around the stadium can be re-planned to host cultural and musical events, or as a multi-purpose sports training center.

However, to implement these plans, the most important issue is still to completely resolve the financial problems of the My Dinh National Sports Complex.

TAX DEBT BURDEN OF MORE THAN 1,000 BILLION VND

Despite being renovated, My Dinh Stadium still faces a difficult financial problem. According to the conclusion of the Government Inspectorate, during the period 2009 - 2018, the My Dinh National Sports Complex had a series of violations in the management and use of land and public assets. As a result, to date, this unit still owes more than 1,000 billion VND in taxes and is unable to pay.

Outside My Dinh Stadium...

The Aquatic Sports Palace is the second project of the My Dinh National Sports Complex.

A rather optimistic piece of information that can help to remove the major difficulties of the Complex is that the Government is seeking opinions on the draft Resolution stipulating a number of mechanisms and policies to remove difficulties and obstacles in organizing the implementation of the Land Law. In which there is a provision stating: "Public service units that are in the case of converting the form of land lease to the form of land allocation without collecting land use fees according to the Land Law do not have to pay land tax and late payment of land tax (if any) for the period of land use before the effective date of the resolution. In case land tax and late payment of land tax (if any) have been paid before the effective date of the resolution, the State will not refund the amount paid." If the resolution is issued, the My Dinh National Sports Complex is likely to have its debt of 1,000 billion VND cleared.

My Dinh Stadium used to be the "heart" of Vietnamese sports, witnessing many historic moments of the country's football. But in order for this project not to become a "burden" on the budget, the authorities need to quickly come up with a clear solution: both ensuring its functionality and thoroughly resolving the violations that have lasted for many years.

In the context of Vietnam preparing to enter a new phase with modern sports facilities, the future of My Dinh Stadium is not only the story of a stadium, but also a test of the effectiveness of public asset management and the vision of national sports development.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khu-lien-hop-my-dinh-se-the-nao-khi-xuat-hien-sieu-san-185251103230323665.htm