Shenzhen Sports Center Stadium – construction description

How did the redevelopment of the Shenzhen Sports Center come about?

The impetus for the redevelopment of the Shenzhen Sports Center came when Shenzhen was awarded the hosting of the WTA Finals, the prestigious women's tennis tournament held at the end of each season. Shenzhen was to host the WTA Finals for 10 years (2019–2028).

In connection with the tournament, the city intended to build a new sports hall to host the competition. It was to be built at the Shenzhen Sports Center, but the redevelopment of the complex was on a much larger scale than just building a new hall.

What is the concept for the redevelopment of the Shenzhen Sports Center?

The redevelopment project for the Shenzhen Sports Center includes several important aspects, primarily the construction of a new sports arena, a major redevelopment of the main stadium, the creation of an underground car park, and the rearrangement of the entire surroundings.

Only the indoor swimming pool, the youngest of the complex's three main arenas, which was opened in 2002, will be omitted from the extensive redevelopment. The old sports hall from 1985 (Shenzhen Gymnasium) is to be demolished and built anew. The new hall will be equipped with a retractable roof.

How will Shenzhen Stadium be redeveloped?

The architectural concept for the new Shenzhen Stadium can be viewed on a separate subpage

The largest investment under the project will be the redevelopment of Shenzhen Stadium. The new venue will be built almost from scratch, retaining only the outer reinforced concrete frame of the former stadium, which will form the distinctive façade of the new arena. The stadium will be stripped of its athletics track and will receive a typical football layout.

The new stands will be divided into two tiers, with the stands behind the goals being slightly higher than those along the pitch. Due to the redevelopment, the capacity of the stadium will increase from 32,500 to 45,000 spectators. The stadium will also receive a new canopy, complete with a glass section, and there will be video screens in the corners.

How is the redevelopment of the Shenzhen Sports Center complex progressing?

In the summer of 2018, the site was fenced off and preparatory work began. As the priority was to host the WTA Finals, the first step was to build a new sports hall to host these competitions.

Initial plans called for the new hall to be open by June 2020, but the investment was significantly delayed. The first WTA Finals tournament in Shenzhen was held at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center complex; the next two editions, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were moved to Mexico and the United States.

On July 8, 2019, during the demolition of the old hall, an uncontrolled structural collapse occurred, resulting in the deaths of three workers. Demolition continued until late 2019/early 2020, with a groundbreaking ceremony on May 24, 2020 for the next phase of development, which included intensive earthworks.

In July 2021, the construction tender was won by China Construction Eighth Engineering Bureau and the actual construction phase began. The value of the contract was 1.297 billion yuan. The new arena was the first to start construction, and in November 2021 the stadium redevelopment began. The redevelopment of the complex should be completed in late 2023 or early 2024.

Who will the new Shenzhen Stadium serve?

The new stadium is set to accommodate world-class sports and cultural events. Following the dissolution of Shenzhen FC, which played at the former Shenzhen Stadium for most of its history, including in 2004 when it won the national title, the likely host of the new venue will be Shenzhen Peng City FC, which moved from Chengdu in early 2024.