It's official: Hanoi will host the 31st Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games) in 2021.
City officials confirmed the capital's involvement as the municipal government submitted its plan to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as well as the General Department of Sports, reports Thanh Nien.
The 80-page plan outlines the spending of a VND1.74 trillion (US$78 million) budget, in which VND1 trillion will be used for organizing event activities, while the rest will be reserved for facility upgrades. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has already stipulated that Hanoi will not build any new facilities but rather improve its existing ones, namely the My Dinh Sports Complex and Aquatic Sports Center.
Officials are projecting a total revenue of VND97 billion (US$4.35 million) from the event, including contributions from the 10 other participating nations as well as sponsors, advertising revenue and broadcast rights.
The SEA Games are set to take place during the last two weeks of November 2021 with over 10,000 athletes competing in 36 sports. Previously, Hanoi has hosted both the 22nd SEA Games in 2003 and the Asian Indoor Games in 2009.
[Photo via Today Online]
