Kerala set to attract Rs 600 crore investment in sporting infrastructure
TNN | Jan 24, 2024, 10.41 PM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Investments worth more than Rs 6,000 crore have been proposed in various sporting disciplines in the ongoing International Sports Summit Kerala at Greenfield Stadium, Karyavattom on Wednesday.
Twenty three proposals were submitted in the investors’ meeting on Tuesday. This includes a Rs 800 crore project from Meerans Group in association with Kerala Football Association (KFA), Rs 650 crore multi-purpose sports complex of Lords Football Academy in Kochi and Rs 300 crore project of 13th Foundation, led by former
India footballers, CK Vineeth, Rino Anto, NP Pradeep and Mohammed Rafi.
This is besides the Rs 1,200 crore worth project of Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) which includes a proposal to construct a new cricket stadium in Kochi as part of its plan to develop a sports city in Chengamanad.For most of these projects, land to build the sporting infrastructure has been identified and the investors are awaiting government clearance.
Meerans Group will be building eight football stadiums and four training centres in various districts of the state.
The eight stadiums are coming up at Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram,
Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod.
“We are planning to build the stadiums in three phases and will be completed in five years. The stadiums will
have a capacity of 15,000 to 20,000 and will be constructed under FIFA standards,” said Mathew Joseph, CEO of
Scoreline.
Meanwhile, Premier Group, who manages the convention centre and other amenities at the Greenfield Stadium,
has proposed a Rs 450 crore worth project to construct a 60,000-capacity football stadium in Kozhikode.
The other major proposed investments for developing sports infrastructure in the state are from Greater Cochin
Development Authority’s (GCDA), No Scope Gaming, Jellyfish project, Moolans Group and Keraleeyam Motor
Sports Association.
Earlier, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said that Kerala has huge potential to become a big name in India
football. But he added that the facilities for the players too need to improve here.
“I am sure the government will do its best to improve sports infrastructure, to create more competition, to
educate more coaches and to create more grass-root academies,” he said.
“Kerala should try to focus and contribute to the national federation with the Sports Authority of India and
ministry of sports to ensure that all the resources are put together to see that these soccer-crazy fans get more
and more facilities in the State,” added Chaubey.