?The company responsible for the controversial $2-million national flag at Hasely Crawford Stadium has issued an international advertisement, starting the process for construction of three world-class stadiums and three community and sport centres, at an estimated cost of $410 million. Sport Company of T&T, a state-owned special purpose company similar to Udecott, placed an advertisement in The Economist magazine, earlier this month. Advertisements were also placed in local newspapers. The Economist advertisement is a notice requesting qualifications from companies for the design and construction of a national cycling velodrome, a national aquatic centre, a national tennis centre and three youth indoor facilities. The Sport Company was thrown into the national spotlight when Sport Minister Gary Hunt, in a nationally-televised address, earlier this month, described the $2-million national flag last year as being one of "a few missteps along the way," and that there had been "errors in its implementation."
Hunt said he had "directed the Sport Company to adjust its systems and policies to ensure that nothing like this occurs in the future." Asked for basic information on the Sport Company, project consultant Tennille Clarke said on Friday: "We are in the middle of the tendering procedure, and therefore we cannot divulge any information, because we need to maintain strict confidentiality as well as a level-playing field." Sunday Guardian investigations, however, indicate that the velodrome, to be located in Mucurapo, would seat up to 5,000, with 2,500 seats on the cycling track configuration and that it should be constructed to accommodate other sporting activities, such as basketball, boxing, wrestling, indoor football, netball and gymnastics. The velodrome would also be able to accommodate non-sporting events, such as exhibitions, concerts and market fairs.
The tennis centre, to be built within the existing sporting complex in Tacarigua, should be built in compliance with the International Tennis Federation regulations, and should include six outdoor courts, six indoor courts and a centre court able to host international tournaments, with a seating capacity of 1,500. It is proposed that the aquatic centre, which is to be located at Mount Hope, should seat up to 1,500 people, with a 51.2-metre pool designed to host international swimming competitions, an outdoor warm-up pool and an outdoor leisure area. The community and sports centres are to be located at Diego Martin, Arima and Sangre Grande. The Sport Company is charging interested parties $15,000 for the 58-page package of information on the scope of works and design brief. The deadline for the request for qualifications is March 2, and companies have until April 14 to submit proposals for what is being described as "an efficient, structured, open and competitive three stage process."
Sources indicated that the Sport Company "wishes to maintain an aggressive schedule and is hopeful construction may begin in the last quarter of 2010" with the three sports centres being delivered in 24 months. This country does not have a good reputation for controlling the cost of sporting facilities. More than a decade ago, under the UNC administration, the cost of constructing four stadiums and renovation of Hasely Crawford Stadium in time for the 2001 World Youth Championship, went from $140 million to $365 million, according to the Web site playthegame.org. And the Tarouba stadium, which is being constructed by Hafeez Karamath and managed by Udecott, has escalated in cost from $275 million to $725 million.