State-of-the-art sports village to be developed in Marsa

A call for expressions of interest for the redevelopment and extension to the Marsa Sports facilities into a state of the art village in line with international standards was announced this morning by Sports Parliamentary Secretary Clyde Puli.

The private public partnership development will integrate the current 750,000 square metre site into an extended area of 812,127 square metres.

The developer will have to finance the cost of the project in full as well as maintain the place. His financial gain would be from the project's commercial aspect which will include accommodation of some sort.

The project is envisaged to integrate the current sports facilities at Marsa, extend the golf course, set up a golf academy, getting the site up to championship level.

The site will include, among other facilities, racing tracks for horse racing, polo fields, multi-purpose turf pitches, archery fields, changing rooms and a free for all two kilometre track for walking, jogging and cycling.

Asked about the White Rocks Complex, Mr Puli said this project was not a replacement of that one, which was still going on and which the government was in talks about.

The two projects would, however, complement each other.

The call closes on September 27. This will be followed by an evaluation of the expressions submitted, their shortlisting and a call for tenders.

Once the tenders are adjudicated, the chosen developer would be bound to complete the sports facilities within two years of the issue of permit. The project as a whole will have to be completed within four years.

The project will cater to around 51 sports disciplines, 8,876 sportsmen and 1,400 horses.

The total built-up footprint will be 7.2 per cent.

Mr Puli said that, apart from serving the local sports community, the project would also help in the development of sports tourism.

This year alone, sports tourism catered for a total of 41,000 bed nights.