Hubei to build $52m Li Na stadium
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E-mail China Daily, May 29, 2012
Tennis star Li Na is reported to be honored by her home province with the building of a new stadium named after the sports icon, Qianjiang Evening News reports.
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Li Na of China returns a ball to Romania's Sorana Cirstea during the first round of French Open on May 28, 2012. |
But Li Liren, Director of the Tennis Center for the Hubei Administration of Sport, later denied the Li Na stadium report in a telephone interview with chinadaily website.
"We had planned to build new stadiums and venues as early as 2006, which was before Li Na's French Open victory, in a bid to undertake the 6th City Games in Wuhan in 2007." Li said. "But we had never planned to build a stadium under a local icon like Li Na."
The National Reform and Development Commission has reportedly approved 330 million yuan ($52 million) for Hubei province to build the stadium.
According to the early report, an official from the Hubei Administration of Sport revealed the design of the stadium hasn't been finished yet. It was originally to be named the "Li Na Tennis Stadium" but later was changed to the "Li Na Comprehensive Stadium" to allow other sports.
The stadium will be completed within two years and hold 8,000 people, the report said.
In July, the provincial capital Wuhan will hold an ATP world tour tennis event with a prize fund of $50,000 and may bid for other events with higher grades in the future, said Li.
"We hope Li Na's fame can help promote the sports economy in Hubei province," an official was quoted as saying by the Qianjiang Evening News.
Hubei province is home to many Chinese tennis stars including Li Na and her husband Jiang Shan, Yu Liqiao, Li Ting, Zhu Benqiang, and Pan Bing.
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