Huainan Olympic Sports Center Stadium
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| 淮南奥林匹克体育中心体育场 | |
| Location | Shannan New District, Huainan, Anhui, China |
|---|---|
| Owner | Huainan Municipal Government |
| Operator | Orange Lion Sports (2023–present) |
| Capacity | 40,868 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | May 2014 |
| Construction cost | ¥1.8 billion (entire park) |
| Architect | Mei Jikui |
Huainan Olympic Sports Center Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Huainan, Anhui Province, China. It serves as the main venue of the Huainan Olympic Park and is located in the Shannan New District's urban center.
The stadium was designed by renowned sports architecture expert Mei Jikui, a professor at Harbin Institute of Technology.[1] The overall design concept features a "dragon and phoenix" motif, with the stadium positioned as the "dragon tail" of the city's central axis.[2] The stadium's exterior resembles a rugby ball shape, intended to create a distinctive landmark for the city.[3]
Construction of the Huainan Olympic Park project began with a groundbreaking ceremony in November 2009.[4] The main stadium started construction in September 2010 and completed its steel structure by the end of 2013.[5] The stadium officially opened in May 2014.[4]
The total investment for the Olympic Park reached approximately 1.8 billion RMB, covering an area of 56 hectares.[6] The stadium itself covers a building area of 98,998.44 square meters and features a reinforced concrete frame structure with a ribbed lattice shell roof system.[7] The roof reaches a maximum height of 63.4 meters.[7]
Facilities
The stadium has a seating capacity of 40,868, classifying it as a Grade-A large-scale venue capable of hosting domestic comprehensive games and international single-sport events.[1] The facility includes one underground floor and two to six above-ground floors.[7]
The broader Olympic Park complex was planned to include a comprehensive training hall (6,000 seats), a swimming and diving hall (3,000 seats), and a national fitness center.[8] Additional facilities include four basketball courts, six tennis courts, five five-a-side football pitches, and one standard 11-a-side football training field.[6]
Operations and management
In 2022, the Huainan High-tech Zone Management Committee introduced third-party professional operations by awarding a 10-year management contract to Orange Lion Sports, a subsidiary of Ali Sports.[9] The company upgraded the venue's hardware and software systems, implementing smart access control and automated lighting systems.[9]
The center reopened to the public in July 2023 with free access to outdoor basketball courts, fitness parks, and training fields during its trial operation period.[9]