Stadium Scheduled for August Completion
Model of the Qi Zhong stadium. ©ATP
The US$200 million state-of-the-art Qi Zhong (pronounced Chee-Jong) stadium will be completed in August 2005. The 15,000-seat stadium will incorporate many cutting edge technologies including those used to operate the eight-piece steel magnolia roof, which will take eight minutes to completely open or close.
The largest tennis facility in Asia is being built to stage Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai from 2005-2007. The state-of-the-art Qi Zhong Tennis Center is under construction on 80 acres in the Minghang district, 27 kilometers southwest of the city.
 Work will be completed by August The centerpiece of the facility will be a dual-purpose indoor-outdoor 15,000-seat center court. The center court will utilize a high-tech roof in the shape of an eight-piece magnolia, Shanghai’s symbol. Unlike other stadium roofs, each piece of the magnolia will rotate to cover the court.
Asia’s largest tennis facility, which will feature 40 indoor and outdoor courts, is due for completion in May, 2005. The facility will also become home to Shanghai Ba-shi’s junior development program, which will be greatly expanded over the next two years.
The Qi Zhong Tennis Center will feature 85,000 square meters of construction, including the 30,000 square meter center court with the unique retractable roof system, soaring about 40 meters high. Center court will feature VIP seating, 150 media seats (60 with desks), 20 broadcasting rooms and two 4x10 meter video screens. There will be a VIP lounge, player lounge, conference room, locker rooms and media center.
Of the 40 courts, 18 will be outdoor, including 10 match courts.
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