Hanoi approves planning for 125-hectare horse racing complex – VnExpress Newspaper

The entertainment and horse racing complex in Soc Son Commune has just been approved for a 1/500 detailed planning scale with an area of 125 hectares.

According to the planning approval decision of the People’s Committee of Soc Son Commune, the entertainment and horse racing complex borders the Hanoi – Thai Nguyen railway to the west and the foot of Doi Mountain to the south.

This project is developed to concretize the Capital Master Plan with a 100-year vision, aiming to effectively exploit land funds and create an entertainment destination to attract residents and tourists.

The planned area of the project is about 125 hectares. Of which, land for building the horse racetrack accounts for 75%. The investor plans to arrange a grandstand with a capacity of 30,000 spectators, a racetrack with 2 sand tracks, 1 grass track of 25 meters wide, and a horse care and training area.

The racing complex also includes a 3-hectare commercial and service area, consisting of 30 three-story tourist villas for rent, a 3-star hotel with 254 rooms, and a shopping mall. A regulating lake, greenery, and walking paths will be built on the remaining area of about 28.3 hectares.

Perspective of the multi-functional entertainment and horse racing complex project. Photo: Investor

The decision also states that the project investor is H&G Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Hanoi Tourist Corporation (Hanoi Tourist) and Global Consultant Network (South Korea). Established in November 2019, H&G Company has a chartered capital of 120 million USD. Mr. Lee Dae Bong (born 1941) is the legal representative of the enterprise and also the Chairman of Charmvit Group. This group is known as the investor of the Grand Plaza Hotel hotel, office, and commercial center complex (Hanoi).

The People’s Committee of Soc Son Commune assigned the investor to complete investment, land, and construction procedures. For items such as horse storage, care, and training areas, the enterprise needs to comply with specialized laws before putting them into operation.

The horse racing project in Hanoi was first studied in 1999 with the planned location in Dai Kim Ward (Hoang Mai) and Thanh Liet (Thanh Tri) before the merger, but due to an incomplete legal framework for betting and horse racing, the foreign partner withdrew.

In 2007, Hanoi Tourist Corporation (Hanoi Tourist) and Global Consultant Network (South Korea) proposed to continue studying the project. In September 2019, the Prime Minister issued a decision approving the investment policy.

Planned location for the construction of the commercial entertainment and horse racing complex project in Soc Son, Hanoi. Photo: Giang Huy

A year later, Hanoi added the Soc Son multi-functional entertainment and horse racing complex project to the outline of the local adjustment of the Capital’s socio-economic development master plan to 2020, with a vision to 2030.

The Soc Son multi-functional entertainment and horse racing complex has an investment of about 420 million USD, which can attract 5,000 direct workers and 20,000 to 25,000 indirect workers. The complex was expected to operate after 2021, but faced some difficulties and could not be implemented. In mid-2022, Hanoi petitioned the Prime Minister to resolve difficulties in acquiring 125 hectares of land to implement the project. By January 2024, the project’s 1/500 detailed planning draft was opened for public feedback by the former Soc Son District People’s Committee.