The Wuhan Open is building a 1B renminbi ($161M) stadium that will "rival the size of Wimbledon’s Centre Court," according to Danielle Rossingh of BLOOMBERG. Wuhan Sports Development Investment Co. President Zhu Jianbin: "We hope we can build Wuhan into a city of tennis." Although only in its second year, the Wuhan Open "is tripling the size of its main 5,000-seat stadium." The event is the first int'l top-level sports competition "held in the capital of Hubei province, which has 10 million inhabitants." Wuhan, the hometown of China’s first Grand Slam singles champion Li Na, "also recently opened the country’s first college of professional tennis."
Modeled after the multi-use Melbourne Park venue, home of the Australian Open, the new Wuhan stadium "will have a retractable roof, 25 corporate hospitality suites as well as increased space for players, media and tournament organizers." It "will also be used as a concert venue and host other sports events such as basketball and soccer." The new facilities will be ready on time for the Sept. 27-Oct. 3 event.
The new stadium "will be able to accommodate as many tennis fans as Wimbledon’s Centre Court" (BLOOMBERG, 5/24).
