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Plans made, but not yet set in stone
Clean and tidy: People pass through a row of buildings at the Asian Games athletes village in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta
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lean and tidy: People pass through a row of buildings at the Asian Games athletes village in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. After the Games ended, the buildings in the area were planned to be used for other purposes. (JP/Adeline Sunarjo)
The conclusion of the Asian Games and the upcoming Para Games, which will be held from Oct. 6 to 13, have raised questions over what is in store for the multimillion-dollar venues.
Many countries that have hosted the Olympic Games have been saddled with so-called white elephants — expensive but abandoned stadiums and facilities — and massive debt.
One of the facilities in question is the athletes village in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, which cost Rp 3.4 trillion (US$230 million) to build.
During the Asian Games, it housed around 17,000 athletes and officials from 45 participating countries. For the Para Games, it will accommodate around 2,886 athletes and 1,000 officials from 43 countries.
According to Dwi Nugroho, the president director of the Kemayoran Complex Management Center (PPK Kemayoran) that manages the athletes village, the government already had plans in place about its future, although no final decision had been made.
“The government had planned for the athletes village to be used, although we haven’t decided whether it will be rented out, sold or combination of the two,” Dwi told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
He said since the apartments were fully furnished, if the government wanted to rent them to low-income residents, it would have to subsidize a lot of the fees considering the high cost of maintenance.
Dwi added that if the apartments were to be sold, civil servants living in the capital would be given priority.
According to real estate consulting firm Savilis Indonesia’s research director, Anton Sitorus, an apartment in the village would cost between Rp 20 million and Rp 25 million per square meter because of its strategic location.
“I hope that by January [next year], [a decision would be made about the athletes village],” Dwi said.
Another facility in question is the Jakarta International Velodrome in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, which cost Rp 665 billion to construct.
Jakpro Velodrome project manager Iwan Takwin said that after the Para Games, the Velodrome would still be used for major cycling events and by the public.
“The Indonesian Cycling Sport Union [PB ISSI] will still hold events at the Velodrome.
“In January, it will host the Asia Championship and after that the World Championship, as well as national events,” Iwan told the Post.
Jakarta has been chosen as the host of the 39th Asia Cycling Confederation Track Championship in 2019 and the PB ISSI is also planning to propose that the capital also host the Union Cycliste Internationale World Track Championship.
Iwan said the PB ISSI had registered cyclists who would use the Velodrome as a practice venue.
He added that the venue would also be available for commercial use and the outside area of the Velodrome would be made available to the public.
The International Equestrian Park in Pulomas, Kayu Putih, East Jakarta, would also be made available to the public and future equestrian events, according to Indonesia Equestrian Federation member and consultant for the park Rafiq Radinal.
