Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is planning to lease out the World Cup Village at Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium Complex in Rourkela on a long-term basis.
The Sports and Youth Services department recently issued a notification in this regard for selection of bidder for operation and management of the facility under long-term lease agreement. Private parties have been asked to submit their expressions of interest (EOIs) till 4 pm on August 10. The technical bid will be opened on August 11.
This has come six months after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the village, which was developed within a record nine months ahead of FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023. It has 225 rooms with all modern amenities, including swimming pool, fitness centre, four meeting halls, three dining halls, two kitchens, facility for steam bath and reception centre. It was used for housing the teams and officials during the quadrennial event in January this year.
Locals have, however, requested the department not to lease out the facility to private parties.
Sports journalist Sambit Mohapatra said that this is a practice across the world and is aimed at becoming self-reliant. This is also a case at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, where properties have been rented out, he further said, adding that the government should also promote sports tourism at the stadium, which has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest fully-seated in the world, make accommodation for people visiting the state there.
