The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) announced plans to develop a new indoor arena next to the Singapore Indoor Stadium (SIS).
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said in parliament on Mar. 7 that they are also studying future plans for the existing SIS, which was built back in 1989.
The plans for the new arena are still in the early stages, and a more detailed update will be provided in due course, according to materials provided by MCCY.
SIS will continue to operate until the new indoor arena is completed.
Hosting more "sophisticated events"
Tong shared that they believe now is an opportune time to develop a new indoor area that will be "among the best-in-class globally".
He added that they are considering an arena that can host more "sophisticated events" and flexibly accommodate different types of events.
In addition, the considerations for the arena would be for it to have a faster turnaround time between different types of events and offer greater value to spectators through more varied hospitality suites, better seating, and overall experience.
"Our competitors are not standing still, and we, likewise, must continue to innovate and evolve if we want to continue to attract top-tier events," Tong said.
Capacity of new arena at least the same as SIS
Tong stated that the new indoor arena being considered would operate alongside the rest of the Sports Hub, offering synergies with the other sporting and community facilities at the Kallang Alive precinct and further injecting vibrancy into the precinct.
With the new arena adjacent to SIS, it would allow SIS to operate until the new area is up and running.
This would minimise disruption to events and programming, which can continue during the new arena's construction period.
MCCY will also study future plans for SIS and provide more details when ready, Tong said.
As for the capacity of the new arena, it should at least have the same capacity as SIS and be "future-proofed" so it can continue to serve Singapore's interests in the foreseeable future.
Top photo via Google Maps