Concentrating the International Tennis Center and Sports Town
Enhancing Residential Infrastructure in Preparation for Public Institution Relocation
Chungnam Province will develop Naepo New City, located within Chungnam Innovation City, into a national-level sports and health city.
The province plans to concentrate large-scale sports infrastructure centered on an international-standard tennis center, aiming to improve the quality of life for residents and strengthen residential competitiveness in preparation for the potential second wave of public institution relocations from the Seoul metropolitan area.
On December 17, Jungju Park, Deputy Governor of Chungnam Province, held a press conference at the provincial government press center to announce the plan to establish a sports town in Naepo New City.
This project will be carried out with an investment of 250.9 billion won on a total area of 276,714 square meters spanning both Hongseong and Yesan.
In Hongseong, one soccer field, one baseball field, one basketball court, one badminton court, one gateball court, three tennis courts, two futsal courts, three foot volleyball courts, and a 100-meter track have already been established. In addition, 81.7 billion won in national and provincial funds will be invested to build the Chungnam International Tennis Center.
The Chungnam International Tennis Center will cover a site area of 50,556 square meters and a facility area of 14,406 square meters. It will be equipped with a 3,000-seat center court, a 1,000-seat show court, four indoor courts, eight match courts, and two practice courts, totaling 16 courts.
Completion is scheduled for April 2027, and after obtaining international certification, the venue will be used for tennis matches during the Chungcheong Summer World University Games in August of the same year.
After the tournament, the facility will be operated to attract international and national competitions and serve as a space for local residents' sports activities.
In Yesan, two basketball courts, two badminton courts, two foot volleyball courts, one tennis court, one gateball court, a nine-hole park golf course, and an X-Games park are currently in operation.
The Chungnam Sports Center, a hub for sports in the province, will undergo a pilot operation until the end of this year and officially open next year.
The Chungnam Sports Center was built with an investment of 59.2 billion won on a 20,615-square-meter site, with a total floor area of 13,318 square meters. The 50-meter, eight-lane swimming pool has received third-class certification, making it possible to host city and provincial federation competitions as well as provincial sports festivals. The multi-purpose gymnasium can accommodate volleyball, basketball, badminton, and other events.
The province will gradually expand additional facilities such as the Naepo Sports Value Center, park golf course, and baseball field.
The Naepo Sports Value Center has secured 100 million won in national funding for a feasibility study next year, and by 2029, a total of 48 billion won will be invested to build a multi-purpose gymnasium, soccer field, educational and experiential facilities on a 67,000-square-meter site.
The province aims to complete design, land compensation, and permits in 2027, begin construction in 2028, and finish the project by 2029.
Jungju Park, Deputy Governor of Chungnam Province, stated, "We will complete the International Tennis Center and the Sports Value Center as planned to create a sports town accessible to all age groups," adding, "We will strengthen residential conditions to actively respond to the relocation of public institutions from the Seoul metropolitan area."
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