Located in An Phu Ward of Thu Duc City, just 3.5 km from downtown Ho Chi Minh City, the Rach Chiec National Sports Complex was first planned in 1994 with a budget of VND15 trillion (US$590 million).
As planned, the project envisions Olympic-standard facilities, including a football and athletics stadium and a multipurpose arena for international events. Yet, three decades later, the complex remains mostly undeveloped, with extensive vacant land.
HCMC on Oct. 15 announced to seek investment for 23 cultural and sports projects, totaling an estimated VND25 trillion, including the Rach Chiec National Sports Complex. Of these, 16 projects within the complex require over VND21 trillion, featuring a 50,000-seat stadium, a 6,000-seat arena, a 3,500-seat velodrome, and other facilities.
Originally planned on 466 hectares, the sports complex has been scaled down to 212 hectares after multiple adjustments. Of this, 180 hectares are allocated for infrastructure and technical facilities. Upon completion, the complex is expected to accommodate up to 100,000 people, including athletes, spectators, staff, and media.
Strategically located near the Rach Chiec River that flows through Thu Duc City, the complex sits adjacent to major arterial roads, including Vo Nguyen Giap Boulevard and Mai Chi Tho Street, as well as the upcoming Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line, the first of its kind in the city.
After three decades of planning, the only completed infrastructure in the area is Lien Phuong Street, connecting to Vo Nguyen Giap Boulevard, Mai Chi Tho Street, and the HCMC- Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway linking HCMC and Dong Nai Province.
This main road spans around 80 meters in width with six lanes. However, the road through the complex remains incomplete, with only a one-kilometer section finished and not yet connected to other main roads.
A route connecting the complex to the Cat Lai Overpass, which leads to Vietnam's largest port, remains blocked, leaving the area overgrown with wild grass.
Despite plans to create a modern sports hub, most of the land inside the complex remains vacant, overgrown with weeds, and dotted with ponds. Scattered throughout the complex are makeshift homes belonging to families within the planning zone.
Several plots have been leased for use as storage yards, football and tennis courts, pickleball courts, or fishing ponds.
A key development within the Rach Chiec Sports Complex is the Saigon Sport City project by Singaporean developer Keppel Land, featuring luxury housing, commercial services, and sports facilities spread over 64 hectares.
Launched in late 2019 with a projected completion by 2027, the project has stalled, with only a show home built to date.
Several vacant plots have turned into large dumping grounds, with local residents reporting that, in the absence of cleaning services, they are often left to manage and collect garbage themselves at these unregulated sites.
Since the entire area is still under planning, residential areas within the project are temporary, with narrow dirt roads leading in.
Houses inside the complex are mostly roofed with corrugated iron sheets and mainly serve as housing for workers of nearby construction sites.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc, who owns around 4,000 square meters of land that has yet to be compensated, lives in a deteriorating one-story house. Most of her land is used for growing bananas and raising poultry.
"We've been here for nearly 30 years, and the house is falling apart with no amenities, making life very inconvenient. I hope the project gets underway soon," said the 51-year-old.
Currently, the only active project in the area is the construction of Lien Phuong Street and the Muong Kinh Bridge, which will connect to existing roads.
Rendering of the Rach Chiec National Sports Complex.
With a population of nearly 10 million as of 2020, Ho Chi Minh City faces a growing demand for sports and recreational facilities. However, the number of venues remains insufficient to meet this need. Besides the stalled Rach Chiec sports complex, several other sports projects in the city, such as the Phan Dinh Phung Sports Hall (District 3) and Thong Nhat Stadium (District 5), have also faced delays or deterioration.
Photo by Sasaki design company
