Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia 17 Feb 09;
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Sports Hub may be seeing a delay in construction due to financing problems caused by the global economic crisis. But the government is going ahead to call for tenders for the proposed Changi race track, saying there are interested parties.
In October 2007, the government announced that a plot of land in Changi will be the site for a permanent race track. Since then, fans and other parties have been waiting for tenders to be called.
Not designed for F1, the Grade 2 track will pose a challenge, due to the compact 20-hectare plot allocated. Now, the Singapore Sports Council has taken the feedback of interested bidders and may set aside more land for the track.
This will allow the staging of world class events like the Moto GP, which requires at least a 3.5-kilometre track.
Technical director of the Red Rooster Racing Team, Andrew Morrice, said: "If you have space, then you will be able to have more facilities like paddocks, workshops, other things. The track itself, (if it is) 3.5 km, you will be able to have higher speed corners, you will be able to have more technical corners and all that."
Besides the Moto GP, which media reports claim has already signed a deal for a race in Singapore, other events that may be staged include the A1 and the Japan GT.
Interested bidders Channel NewsAsia spoke to said the project may cost anything from S$100,000 to S$300,000. But based on the current global recession, financing it may be a problem.
On the bright side, construction costs may be lower, thus the bidders are hoping the project can be fast-tracked.
The Sports Council does not want to say when exactly tenders will be called, saying it will be soon.
- CNA/yt
See also Changi Race Track - more land may be set aside on the wild shores of singapore blog for more links and details
