Menteng stadium to become park

Menteng stadium to become park

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso said on Monday that the city
administration would not convert the Menteng sports stadium
in Central Jakarta into a commercial area.

"No, there is no plan to convert the stadium into a commercial
area as the city needs more green spaces to meet our target of 13
percent by 2010," he said, adding that currently green spaces in
the capital accounted for only 9 percent of Jakarta's 650 square-
kilometer area.

Speculation has been rife that Sutiyoso would turn the stadium
into a commercial area after the city administration allocated no
money for its development as a park.

Sutiyoso had said that the city administration would need
about Rp 40 billion (US$4.21 million) to develop the soccer field
as a park.

The Menteng sports stadium is currently used as a training
ground by city soccer team Persija, which has long claimed that
the stadium belongs to it.

Sutiyoso stressed Monday that stadium belonged to the city
administration and that Persija would have to train at the Lebak
Bulus stadium in South Jakarta. --JP