Chennai: The State government has floated tenders for the development of the Global Sports City at Semmencheri, off Old Mahabalipuram Road, spread over 127 acres.
The initiative is envisaged as a first-of-its-kind, world-class integrated sports ecosystem aimed at high-performance training, talent development, community participation and hosting international sporting events.
Implemented through the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, phase 1 of the development forms the scope of the current tender and will be executed under the engineering, procurement and construction mode, covering about 83.25 acres of the designated site.
The long-term development is planned in three phases. While Phase I focuses on establishing core training and residential infrastructure, Phase II will add specialised training centres, competition-ready venues and enhanced spectator infrastructure to support national-level events.
Phase III is expected to complete the integrated ecosystem with international-standard facilities and allied infrastructure aimed at attracting major global sporting events.
Phase I is planned as a ‘learn and live’ sports district, integrating training-focused sports infrastructure with essential administrative, residential and support facilities to create a self-sustained and fully operational campus.
The design philosophy draws from the region’s natural coastal ecology, with emphasis on harmony, simplicity, green mobility and ecological resilience.
Phase I includes a wide range of outdoor sports facilities such as a rowing, canoeing and kayaking sprint course, BMX track, skateboarding and roller speed skating tracks, archery range, shooting ranges of 10 m, 25 m and 50 m, lawn tennis courts, mini golf, padel and pickleball courts, a climbing facility and a go-karting track measuring between 315 m and 375 m.
These facilities will be supported by spectator amenities and laid out in accordance with the Phase I site plan, which defines circulation networks, activity zones and spatial planning.
Phase I will also include key support buildings such as a multi-sports indoor arena housing table tennis, squash, billiards, badminton, combat sports including wrestling and weightlifting, fencing, a gymnasium and board games.
A high-performance centre, designed as a specialised training facility to support elite athletes through advanced sports science, is also part of the plan. Administrative blocks, dormitories, parking areas, water sports infrastructure, internal roads, pedestrian pathways and landscaped zones will form the connective framework of the campus.
The objectives of the project include developing a world-class multi-sport training and performance campus, establishing high-performance athlete development facilities with integrated support systems, creating inclusive and community-accessible sports infrastructure and building event-ready venues capable of hosting national and international competitions.
The selected EPC contractor will be responsible for executing the project in line with the scope outlined in the tender documents.