The stadium redevelopment package is expected to be worth about $50 million. It involves the refurbishment of the existing west stand to include new tiers for about 18,000 seats, corporate boxes, VIP lounges, administration areas and athlete facilities. A new 10,000-square-metre tensile roof structure will be erected above the west stand, along with a steel lighting arch above the east stand.

With construction scheduled to begin in early June, the contract is due to be substantially completed by May 2004. The consultant is Australia's GHD. The stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2006 Asian Games.

For package 2, a revised bid closing date of 30 April has been announced. Six contractors were originally prequalified to bid for the estimated $100 million contract. However, a seventh - Samsung Corporationof South Korea - has recently been added to the prequalification list.

The 16-month contract calls for the construction of a sports hall with a built-up area of 110,000 square metres, a central basement, three upper floors and a steel roof. With a span of 250 metres and a height of 36 metres, the roof is the central item on the project and will require 7,000 tonnes of structural steel. The design consultant is the local Cico Consulting Architects Engineers, with France's Tallibert.