The Olympic Spirit Spirited Away
It seems there are plans to develop the Olympic Stadium of Phnom Penh. In Cambodia ‘developing’ mostly means ‘filling’ (like the Boeung Kak Lake) or ‘levelling’ (like the Suramarith Theatre). The stadium was built in 1964 on plans by Vann Molyvann and if it never hosted the Olympic games, it is used every day by hundreds of Phnom Penhites, young and old, to practice some sort of physical activity, be it playing football or dancing. A few years ago Canadia Bank was granted the permission to develop a large area at the perifery of the complex. But that appears to be insufficient to satisfy the appetites of the company, and the landmark stadium itself might simply disappear. Sad… Sad and probably useless: how many of those megalomaniac development projects in Phnom Penh have gone astray over the recent years? The ‘Golden Tower’, ‘Camco City’, ‘Boeung Kak Lake’: all have stopped, find difficulties in attracting investors to finish the developers’ dream, or simply can’t convince customers to cough up the money.
There is a Facebook page where you can vent your anger or give ideas.
CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 5/12/1999: Being 20 in Phnom Penh. Spectator of basket-ball matches at Olympic Stadium.
CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 15/12/2008: The Olympic Stadium, built by Vann Molyvann.
CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 19/12/2008: People exercising at Olympic Stadium.
CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 19/12/2008: People exercising at Olympic Stadium.
CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 19/12/2008: People exercising at Olympic Stadium.
CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 5/09/2009: Working out for 1$ at Olympic stadium on saturday evening.
CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 5/09/2009: Working out for 1$ at Olympic stadium on saturday evening.