Developing ((Aqaba City)) enhances its role as a sports and youth destination

The project spans two phases with a total cost of nearly 4 million dinars, aiming to transform the city into a gathering place for athletes and prepare it to host local and international sports tournaments and camps, thereby enhancing Aqaba's presence on the sports map and aligning with its tourism specificity.

The first phase of the project focuses on developing the city's stadium, which is currently the only grass stadium in the governorate, alongside rehabilitating its facilities and services. Meanwhile, the second phase includes completing the stands, services, and supporting facilities, thereby raising the city's readiness to receive teams, clubs, national teams, and sporting events.

Secretary-General of the Ministry of Youth, Mazen Abu Baqr, stated during an inspection tour of the Aqaba City for Youth and in remarks to the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the first phase costs about two million dinars, with an completion rate of about 50 percent, and is expected to be completed early next year, after which the second phase will begin, lasting for about a year.

He pointed out that the first phase works include the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the stands, the maintenance of existing stands, and the construction of a metal shade covering an area of nearly 700 square meters over the first-class stands, in addition to establishing facilities to serve VIPs, journalists, and the public.

He explained that the project also includes a services and facilities building with a total area of approximately 2,065 square meters, the creation of dedicated entrances for the two teams and the administrative staff, as well as parking lots accommodating about 250 cars, along with the necessary yards, sidewalks, and lighting works.

He added that the first phase works also include the maintenance of existing building facades, the rehabilitation of players' locker rooms from the inside, as well as maintenance, painting, protection, and roof insulation works, thereby raising the level of services provided to teams, athletes, and the public.

He indicated that the development of the stadium is taking place in coordination with the Jordan Football Association, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, the Aqaba Governorate, and the Governorate Council, in compliance with the technical requirements approved by the Jordan Football Association and FIFA.

He pointed out that the project aims to gradually raise the stadium's capacity to reach about 4,000 spectators upon the completion of the development phases, enhancing its ability to host major matches, tournaments, and sporting events.

Regarding the second phase, he stated that it includes the implementation of stands with a capacity of up to about 2,500 seats for the public, alongside service buildings for the teams, and the establishment of four lighting towers for the regulatory stadium, enhancing its readiness to host matches in accordance with technical requirements.

It also includes the construction of a gate to serve the city featuring an entrance for players' buses, the rehabilitation of the existing gate in the area adjacent to the newly established stand, along with the provision of parking for buses and cars, upgrading the readiness of players, referees, administration, and filming facilities, and developing the lighting and services system in line with match-hosting requirements.

As part of expanding the sports facilities system, he explained that the ministry is working in parallel on a new project adjacent to the Aqaba City for Youth, which includes a five-a-side football pitch, two padel courts, two 3x3 basketball courts, alongside a services building and facilities for sports teams.

He stated that the project spans a total tender area of about 5,000 square meters, including the five-a-side football pitch with an area of 1,000 square meters, the two padel courts with an area of 500 square meters, the two 3x3 basketball courts with an area of 400 square meters, and a services building with an area of 180 square meters, in addition to parking lots, stands serving the fields, and health and service facilities for users, while taking into account the requirements of persons with disabilities and providing the necessary entrances, exits, and appropriate facilities.

He added that the ministry has issued a tender for a study to construct a multi-purpose sports hall with a capacity of about 2,000 spectators, adding a facility capable of hosting various sporting activities and events.

He said the development plan also includes the rehabilitation of the Aqaba Youth Hostel located within the city grounds, to serve as a youth hostel receiving youth from various governorates of the Kingdom, and to be used for hosting training camps and sports teams, in addition to utilizing it for the Hussein Camps for Work and Building implemented annually by the ministry. He emphasized that the development of these facilities aims to create an integrated sports system combining stadiums, training facilities, services, and accommodation facilities, serving athletes, youth, teams, and national teams.

He pointed out that the project includes support from Royal Initiatives, alongside allocations from the Aqaba Governorate Council, highlighting the importance of partnership and coordination between the Ministry of Youth, the Jordan Football Association, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, the Aqaba Governorate, and the Governorate Council in implementing the development works according to sports and technical needs.

He said that the development of the city aims to create a sports environment capable of attracting teams, camps, and tournaments from inside and outside the Kingdom, and to utilize Aqaba's location and climate for holding camps, especially during the winter season, which reflects positively on tourism and economic activity, provides broader opportunities for youth to participate in sports activities, and enhances the city's role as a sports and youth destination.