Beijing's rebuilt Workers’ Stadium set for March opening

Construction work on the rebuilding of Beijing’s Workers’ Stadium is approaching completion with the new venue set to reopen in March as work on a major revamp of the venue nears completion.

Originally set for completion December 2022, the Beijing Evening Daily has reported that the reopening has been pushed back due to delays pandemic related lockdowns.

The venue, which had a capacity of 66,000 before being demolished in August 2020, served as the main venue for the 1990 Asian Games and also hosted football matches during the 2008 Olympic Games.

Known locally as Gongti, the venue was rebuilt with the aim for it to become a year-round destination capable of hosting a wider range of sport and entertainment events than had been previously possible.

Construction on the roof and the facade of the complex ended in October of last year, with testing on interior and exterior stadium lighting still ongoing.

Rebuilt with an expanded capacity of 68,000, and with its former running track removed, the venue now has an underground plaza and more than 100,000 metres² of commercial space that will include fitness, lifestyle, and dining opportunities. Access to the venue has also been improved with a new train station connecting with the soon to be opened Beijing Subway Lines 3 and 17.

 Once completed, the New Gongti complex will not only be home to Beijing Guo’an football club,

The original Workers’ Stadium was built in 1959 and served as one of the ‘Ten Great Buildings’ constructed in Beijing to coincide with the 10th anniversary of communist China.

Images: The exterior and interior of the soon to be reopened Beijing’s Workers’ Stadium. Credi: Xinhua News Agency.