Linyi Olympic Sports Park Stadium – stadium description

How was the Linyi Olympic Sports Park Stadium built?

In 2012, the old Linyi Stadium, which had existed since 1981, was demolished. It was to be replaced by a new, much larger and more modern stadium, along with which other sports facilities were also planned to be built. The entire complex was to stand in a different location, in the northern part of Linyi, in the so-called Beicheng New District.

In August 2018, a feasibility study was completed, and in September 2018, the selection of a plot of land for the construction of the new sports complex was announced. Meanwhile, another major stadium, Linyi University Stadium, was also built in the city and opened on September 25, 2014, temporarily taking over as Linyi's main sports venue.

In 2019, the city government approved a plan to build a new sports complex, and also launched an effort to host the Shandong Provincial Games. Construction of the new facilities officially began on September 30, 2020, with an investment of 8.343 billion yuan.

In March 2022, Linyi was awarded the right to host the 26th Shandong Provincial Games in 2026. The center of activities at the event is to be the new sports complex.

When was the Linyi Olympic Sports Park Stadium opened?

On November 12, 2023, the indoor arena of the new complex was opened. The inauguration featured the opening match of the new Chinese Men's Volleyball Super League season between Shandong Ruchen and Nanjing Radio and Television Maomao (3–1). On the occasion, the attendance record of Chinese league was broken (the game was attended by 9312 spectators).

The opening of the stadium, the main facility of the entire complex, took place a little later. The first event hosted by the stadium was the opening ceremony of the 8th Linyi Sports Games, held on October 27, 2024.

What does the Linyi Olympic Sports Park Stadium look like?

Linyi Olympic Sports Park Stadium is a multi-purpose facility, equipped with an athletics track. The stadium has an oval, contoured shape that might resemble a saddle. On a symbolic level, it is meant to refer to the apple blossom. The stands are covered with a white membrane roof and shielded from the outside by a white translucent facade with vertical slats.

The facility can accommodate 57,086 spectators, making it one of the largest in the region and even in the country. The stands are divided into three tiers along the pitch and two tiers on the curves, where two video screens have also been placed. The auditorium is equipped with folding seats in blue and yellow.

The stadium is the main, representative sports venue of Linyi, the largest city in Shandong province. The facility is expected to be the main venue for the 2026 Shandong Provincial Games, as well as hosting many other major events of regional, national and even international significance.

What is the Linyi Olympic Sports Park?

The stadium was built along with an entire sports, cultural and business complex, the Linyi Olympic Sports Park. The complex occupies a rectangular plot of 1218 acres, bounded on four sides by wide streets. The Liuqing River flows through the middle of this plot, dividing the complex into eastern and western parts.

The stadium, which is the main structure of the entire complex, is located on the western side, where there is also an auxiliary stadium with a running track and the so-called Xizhi Cultural Center, a building that provides space for an art gallery or a museum of intangible cultural heritage.

The central section of the eastern part of the complex is occupied by a large arena with a capacity of 13,878 spectators. Next to the arena there is also an indoor swimming complex and a V-shaped building, part of which is a skyscraper. The building has commercial functions: there is a hotel, as well as restaurants or stores.

As part of the project, the bed of the Liuqing River was widened, forming a small lake within the complex. In the central part of the plot, directly between the stadium and the arena, the river banks are connected by an arch bridge.

The Linyi Olympic Sports Park also includes smaller buildings, tennis courts and small playing fields, green areas, paths, roads and parking lots. The complex is located in the so-called Beicheng New District, the northern district of Linyi, which is being intensively developed in the 21st century. About 8 km to the north is the Linyi North high-speed rail station.

The layout of the entire complex loosely and metaphorically follows the theme of mountains, water and flower and is meant to reflect the landscapes of the nearby Yimeng Mountains. The stadium itself represents, on a symbolic level, the apple blossom.