Samoa’s national sports stadium, Apia Park, is now permanently closed, while a new stadium will be relocated elsewhere.
The Samoa Observer reports that Minister for Sports Laumatiamanu Ringo Purcell said the cabinet has approved its relocation to a yet-to-be-confirmed location.
“Apia Park was examined by experts in 2023. The report given determined the park was unfit to host any further events,” he said.
He explained that Apia Park was unfit in terms of the conditions of the grandstand, its size, and that it was not up to standard, as its location is too small compared to the standard size of an international grandstand.
The Ministry of Sports and Recreation is leading the initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
They are now engaging with development partners, including Chinese contractors, to secure funding and technical support for the new stadium.
The Apia Park Complex has been the central hub for sporting and national events for decades, since 1924, when it was a golf course and horse racing venue with a sports field in the middle.
Over the years, it has served as the venue for numerous significant events, including the 2019 Pacific Games and the Pacificast Motherland Concert in 2023.
Rugby matches and other sporting events previously scheduled at Apia Park have since been relocated, including the highly anticipated Manu Samoa clash against Scotland, now scheduled for Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, in July.
