On September 5, the Guangzhou Municipal Government released a public tender to change the seating in Guangzhou Evergrande FC’s home stadium, the Tianhe Sports Center, located in Tianhe District, Guangzhou. 

The stadium is going to change all of its 54,190 regular seats, the 570 VIP seats and the 96 board member seats. 

According to Baidu Baike’s information, Guangzhou Evergrande FC decided to use the Tianhe Sports Center as their home ground in 2011. In 2016, the club signed a contract with Guangzhou Sports Bureau to rent the inner site of the Tianhe Sports Center on a 5-year cycle basis with the total renting period not exceeding 20 years. 

Some fans had been complaining online that Tianhe Sports Center’s football pitch standing seats were too old and causing inconvenience for supporters who watch the club games in the stadium. Some photos of dirty seats after rainfall were posted online and very illustrative of the situation. 

Although Guangzhou Evergrande FC is reported to have upgraded some aspects of the venue’s facilities, the seats clearly still need to be looked after. 

The call-for-tender document requires the entire project be finished within 80 calendar days and should commence before November 15 2018 after the current 2018 CSL season finishes. The project is required that it should not affect the start of the 2019 CSL season either. The budget is CNY5.22m. 

The call-for-tender also requires that all seats are manufactured within China. The deadline for making a bid is 14:30, September 27, 2018. 

References: Guangzhou call for tender, 9gui

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick