Gelora Bung Karno Complex To Get a $10.8m Face-Lift

Jakarta Globe, Ami Afriatni

Gelora Bung Karno. (JG Photo/ Afriadi Hikmal)

For the first time in nearly 50 years, Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex will get a major makeover.

Stadium officials on Monday said they had allocated Rp 100 billion ($10.8 million) in preparation for the country’s hosting the 2011 Southeast Asian Games. The exact dates for the 2011 Southeast Asian Games have yet to be set.

The renovation, which will include both the main stadium complex and several surrounding sites, including Istora Indoor Stadium, is schedule to begin sometime between April and May this year and is expected to be finished next year.

“We will also fix all the supporting facilities at the main stadium, such as toilets and players’ changing rooms,” said Dedy Natri Fahrizal, director of finance and general affairs at Gelora Bung Karno.

“We will also use the best technology out there to preserve the grass on the football pitch and prevent it from being damaged after non-sports events are held there.”

Dedy said the complex would host at least six sports during the Games. To meet international standards, the management said it was also renovating the swimming pool and its supporting facilities.

Because the stadium also hosts major local and international entertainment events, political rallies and other activities, the quality of the facilities has deteriorated over the years to the point that it isn’t suitable for hosting an international multisports event.

The last time the 88,000-seat stadium played host to a major sports competition was in 1997 when it hosted the SEA Games. It also welcomed the 2007 Asian Cup, but Indonesia co-hosted that tournament with three other countries.

Gelora Bung Karno was built in 1962, just before it hosted the 4th Asian Games and long before Indonesia was included in the SEA Games program. Indonesia first competed in the regional tournament in 1977. And it has never been undergone major renovation since it’s being built 48 years ago.

Dedy said the money for the renovation work would come from the stadium’s finances. Since the sports complex was transformed into a private company in August 2008, the government has stopped allocating funds for its operations.

The stadium’s income comes from commercial landholding cooperations with malls and hotels, and from rental fees for nonsports events.

“Our target this year is to earn Rp 166 billion, so I’m optimistic that we’ll be able to cover the renovation and maintenance costs,” Dedy said.

Meanwhile, the State Ministry for Youth and Sports Affairs submitted a Rp 1.57 trillion budget proposal to the House of Representatives on Tuesday for the 2011 SEA Games.

Wafid Muharam, the ministry’s secretary, told the Jakarta Globe that the proposal was for financing renovation projects and did not include the budget for athletes’ performance incentives.

“The proposal includes the renovation of facilities for venues in four other host provinces,” Wafid said.

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