Huge Shanghai e-sports facility to say 'game on' in 2025

Set to become one of the world's largest e-sports facilities upon completion this year, the Shanghai International NCC & E-sports Center has ushered in some major construction.

After four months, the center has already completed a 24-meter-deep basement and officially started its main structure above the ground. The capping of the center's two 17-story main buildings is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.

"The 31-01 project of the Shanghai International NCC & E-sports Center has a total construction area of some 140,000 square meters, consisting of two 17-story main office buildings, a four-story commercial mall, and a four-floor and 24-meter-deep basement," said an executive from China Construction Eighth Engineering Division Corp, which has undertaken the construction of the project.

"The basement is the deepest foundation pit under construction in Shanghai and ensures a solid base and the safety that is key to the project,” he said.

Located in the Qianwan area of the Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District, one of the business hubs in the Yangtze River Delta, the center is jointly developed by SUPERGEN Inc and the Shanghai-based Zunxuan Group and managed by Hopson Commercial Group. The plan is for it to become a gigantic complex integrating shopping centers, e-sports industrial parks, five-star hotels and professional e-sports stadiums.

Its first phase investment exceeds 5 billion yuan ($744.5 million) and the follow-up total investment surpasses 10 billion yuan. After completion, it will become one of the key projects with the largest single investment in the global e-sports industry.

Covering an area of 6,000 square meters and offering 1,000 seats, the center's EDG Hycan League of Legends LPL home arena is to be opened in the center in 2025.

In the same year, the world first new cultural and creative hotel jointly built by SUPERGEN and Hyatt Hotels Group will also start business. The five-star hotel will offer 230 guest rooms including e-sports and game-themed rooms to create unique experiences for visitors.

In addition, the center will build venues such as a 46-meter-deep indoor diving hall, China's first Aerodium wind tunnel and an 18-meter rock climbing matrix to boost "extreme sports" and expand the concept of "new sports".

It has set up the world's first dual e-sports venue in which the main venue is the first international-standard e-sports venue in East China, covering an area of 15,000 square meters with 3,000 seats.

The center has also created the largest outdoor pump road park in Shanghai, covering an area of 3,000 square meters, where four different extreme sports such as skateboarding, BMX, extreme roller skating and balance car driving can be performed.