Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Kampong Speu Provincial Stadium inaugurated

Kampong Speu Provincial Stadium inaugurated

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Kampong Speu Provincial Stadium located on National Road 44 in Ta Mol village of Chbar Mon commune and town. CHEA SOPHARA VIA FACEBOOK

Kampong Speu Provincial Stadium inaugurated

Kampong Speu Provincial Stadium, which cost more than $4 million to build, was officially inaugurated on September 6 in a ceremony presided over by Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction Chea Sophara.

According to governor Vei Samnang, the stadium aims to raise the image and prestige of the province, as well as to contribute to the government’s development of the Kingdom’s sporting culture, as it prepares to host the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) next year.

“The stadium was built on the initiative of Hun Many, a lawmaker representing the province … He worked with the provincial authorities and the private sector to complete this project and raise the image of the province,” he said.

Construction of the stadium began in February last year and was completed on August 21. The more-than 40,000sqm stadium is located on National Road 44 in Ta Mol village of Chbar Mon commune and town. With a capacity of 3,000 spectators, it features a football pitch and a public gymnasium.

During the inauguration ceremony, Sophara praised the administration and leadership of the province for their excellent work in preparing the stadium in a short amount of time and at a reasonable cost. He also expressed his satisfaction at the fact that the build had been carried out in accordance with all relevant construction regulations.

“Of course, I received an order from Prime Minister Hun Sen to attend the inauguration, but I was also curious to see if the structure was registered correctly. Yesterday, there was an end of construction ceremony and a certificate was issued permitting the use of the stadium. This confirms that all legal procedures were followed,” he said.

In addition to sports training, he urged the provincial administration to use the stadium to generate revenue for the province, suggesting that it could be rented to promoters for large concerts when no sporting events are scheduled.

“I congratulate all of you on your achievement, but I want to make sure you don’t just build it and let it sit unused. We need to make sure we utilise this asset as effectively as we possibly can,” he said.

“The revenue of the province is nothing without additional income being earned, so in my opinion, whoever wants to advertise here or rent it for functions should be encouraged. Remember that civil servants and the guards at the stadium, as well as the vendors, also earn money through the use of this asset,” he added.

After the official inauguration, the stadium will be the training venue and home stadium of NagaWorld Football Club.

NagaWorld captain Kouch Sokumpheak, who also attended the inauguration, said: “We are happy to finally have our own stadium. Previously, we played home games in borrowed stadiums. I hope the people of Kampong Speu will come to support our team when we play here. A home stadium, home fans and a home pitch will all contribute to the confidence of our team. We hope to become even more competitive.”

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Brawl marrs football final as Indonesian take gold in seven goal thriller

    The Indonesian men's U22 men national football team were crowned champions of the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, defeating Thailand 5-2 in extra time on May 16 at Olympic National Stadium in Phnom Penh. The match was marred by an ugly incident that occured in the 91

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Candlelight Party disqualified from July general election

    The National Election Committee (NEC) has disqualified the Candlelight Party (CP) from contesting the upcoming general election, citing a lack of valid documentation. NEC spokesman Khorn Keomono said the CP failed to fulfil one of the three main requirements: including original documentation proving their registration

  • Thong Khon calls for orderly SEA Games closing ceremony

    Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and permanent vice-president of the Cambodia SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC), calls on all people who have received tickets to the May 17 closing ceremony of the biennial multi-sports extravaganza at the Morodok Techo National Stadium to ensure that the event

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is