Chinese Government provides ST$30 million grant for Multipurpose Sport Gymnasium Construction and Sports Facilities Refurbishment Project (Linked to Record ID#64861, #64864, #64765)

Project narrative

On May 24, 2017, the Chinese Government signed a grant agreement with the Government of Samoa worth approximately ST$30 million for the Multipurpose Sport Gymnasium Construction and Sports Facilities Refurbishment Project. The purpose of the project was to (a) construct a multipurpose gymnasium (known locally as the Multi-Sport Centre and the Faleata Multisport Gymnasium) in the Tuanaimato area of the city of Apia; and (b) refurbish the Samoa Aquatic Centre, Apia Park Main Stadium, Apia Park Gymnasium, and Apia Park Tennis Court. These five sporting facilities were meant to serve as venues for the 2019 (XVI) Pacific Games in July 2019. Anhui Construction and Shanghai Construction were the contractors responsible for implementation. The multipurpose gymnasium consists of two state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor netball courts built to international specifications. It also has the capacity to host badminton, basketball, table tennis, boxing and other indoor sports. Its floor space covers an area of 40,000 square meters and is equipped with 1600 spectator seats. When Samoa won the bid to host the 2019 (XVI) Pacific Games after Tonga withdrew its hosting status in May 2017, the Government of Samoa submitted a proposal to the Chinese Government to assist it with the rehabilitation of existing sporting facilities (built with financial support from the Chinese Government). A team of engineers from China arrived at the beginning of 2018 to conduct a thorough study of the proposed project and the study concluded that the gymnasium at Apia Park was not structurally safe and was no longer fit for competition purposes. Eventually, a decision was made to construct a new multipurpose gymnasium in the Tuanaimato area of Apia rather than in the Apia Park area. Refurbishment activities would be focused on the existing facilities in Apia Park. Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Corporation and Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) were the contractors responsible for project implementation. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 19, 2018. 200 Chinese engineers and workers were employed during the construction phase. The Chinese Ambassador to Samoa conducted on-site project inspections on February 18, 2019 and April 19, 2019 and the project was officially completed and handed over to the local authorities on June 30, 2019 (ahead of the 16th Pacific Games, which were held in Apia from July 7, 2019 to July 20, 2019).