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Setia SPICE

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Coordinates: 5°19′43″N 100°16′48″E / 5.3287°N 100.28°E / 5.3287; 100.28
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Setia SPICE
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Setia SPICE is located in George Town, Penang
Setia SPICE
Setia SPICE
Location within    George Town in    Penang
Former namesPenang International Sports Arena
LocationBayan Lepas, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Coordinates5°19′43″N 100°16′48″E / 5.3287°N 100.28°E / 5.3287; 100.28
Public transit 302, 303, 304, 308 

  401E 

OwnerPenang Island City Council
OperatorS P Setia
Current useIndoor games and sports, swimming and business events
Construction
Built1997; 28 years ago (1997)
Opened1997; 28 years ago (1997)
Renovated2022; 3 years ago (2022)
Website
spsetia.com/en-us/venues/setia-spice/home

Setia SPICE is a multipurpose sports complex in George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang. It occupies an area of 25.4 acres (10.3 ha) within the suburb of Bayan Lepas, comprising five components – SPICE Arena (formerly named Penang International Sports Arena, abbrev. PISA), SPICE Convention Centre, SPICE Aquatic Centre, SPICE Canopy and a hotel. The GBI-certified complex is George Town's main indoor sports centre and serves as a major venue for business events.

Completed in 1997, PISA was one of the venues for the 2001 SEA Games. However, it was plagued with issues related to poor design and maintenance. In 2011, a RM300 million project to redevelop the centre was awarded to Malaysian property developer S P Setia. The other components were subsequently built, with the final element, the hotel, completed in 2022.

History

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Proposals for an indoor sports arena at Bayan Lepas had been mooted in the early 1990s, leading to the construction of PISA by the Penang Island Municipal Council (now Penang Island City Council) at a cost of RM102.5 million.[1] Completed in November 1997, PISA included an indoor sports arena and aquatics centre.[2][3] Local company Maxifield was appointed as the operator of the complex.[4]

Design deficiencies emerged shortly after completion, prompting Maxifield to spend RM4 million on upgrades prior to the 2000 Sukma Games. [4][5] Following financial difficulties, Penevents took over as the operator in 1999, but poor design issues persisted.[6][7][8] PISA hosted events in the 2001 SEA Games, yet afterwards fell into disrepair.[9][10][11] By 2011, the municipal government estimated that RM25 million was needed for extensive repairs.[11]

Renovation

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In the 2008 state election, Pakatan Rakyat (predecessor to the present-day Pakatan Harapan coalition) seized power from the incumbent Barisan Nasional administration. Recognising the need to diversify the state's economy through the construction of an international convention centre, in 2009 the new state government initiated a request for proposal to redevelop PISA.[11] At the time, the municipal government lacked the capital to undertake the redevelopment project independently.[12] Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng noted that although PISA had been completed in 1997, its true value remained unknown and that Penevents was only beginning to break even in terms of revenue. Lim's administration sought an open tender process to assess PISA's valuation and to appoint a new operator for the facility.[13]

One of the requirements for the tender was to maintain the acreage of greenery at the complex. Malaysian property developer S P Setia proposed a design that featured a new subterranean convention centre covered by a layer of grass, alongside a playground and a spice garden.[14] In 2011, S P Setia obtained a 30-year concession from the municipal government to build and operate the complex, which was renamed Setia SPICE.[15][16] The redevelopment project was valued at RM300 million; however, due to cost savings from the open tender process, the municipal government was only obligated to invest a nett amount of RM11.5 million.[17][18] In return, S P Setia was subsequently granted planning approval to build Setia V Residences at Gurney Drive, as part of an additional 1,500 residential units exceeding the density limit of its existing and future projects in the state.[19]

SPICE Canopy was the first component of the project to be completed in 2015.[20] In the following year, upgrading works for SPICE Arena and the SPICE Aquatic Centre were finished.[21] The SPICE Convention Centre opened in 2017.[3] Amari SPICE Hotel, the final component, was operational by 2022.[22] Excluding the hotel, the GBI-certified Setia SPICE complex had a gross development value of RM400 million.[3]

Components

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SPICE Arena

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SPICE Arena at night
Main article: SPICE Arena

Formerly named PISA, SPICE Arena is a multipurpose indoor sports arena containing an event space of 80,000 sq ft (7,400 m2). It is touted as the largest of its kind in northern Malaysia, with a maximum capacity of 18,000.[23] Renovations between 2011 and 2016 included upgrades to the roof, façade, and air conditioning, chiller and surveillance systems.[21] A covered walkway connects the arena to the SPICE Convention Centre.[24]

SPICE Convention Centre

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SPICE Convention Centre
Main article: SPICE Convention Centre

Opened in 2017, the SPICE Convention Centre is an underground convention centre containing an event space of 78,959 m2 (849,910 sq ft), the largest of all convention centres in Penang.[25] Its design was developed by Arup Group, which incorporated the concept of creating convention spaces underground while transforming the roof into a public garden.[26] The SPICE Convention Centre is recognised as the first hybrid solar-powered meeting venue in the world, equipped with a roof adorned by 654 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and daylighting features.[3][27]

SPICE Aquatic Centre

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SPICE Aquatic Centre
Main article: SPICE Aquatic Centre

Opened in 2016, the SPICE Aquatic Centre contains an Olympic-size swimming pool, diving platforms, function rooms, a gym, a sports clinic, and amenities catering for various indoor sports such as badminton and squash. A RM4 million photovoltaic system capable of generating up to 980 MW (1,310,000 hp) per year has been installed on both the centre and the adjoining SPICE Canopy.[21]

SPICE Canopy

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SPICE Canopy is a commercial development comprising 59 retail and foodservice outlets, with a total lettable floor area of 98,000 sq ft (9,100 m2).[21] Completed in 2015, it draws electricity from the photovoltaic system that covers its inverted “trumpet” roof, which functions as a self-cleaning water funnel.[3][20][21]

Amari SPICE Hotel

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The last of the five components to be completed, Amari SPICE Hotel was opened in 2022 to coincide with the World Congress on Innovation and Technology (WCIT) held at Setia SPICE that year.[22] The business hotel contains a total of 453 rooms.[3][22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Celebrity event gets donations totalling $26,000". New Straits Times. 17 May 1992. p. 4. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  2. ^ "MESYUARAT PERTAMA PENGGAL KEEMPAT DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI PULAU PINANG KESEMBILAN". Penang State Legislative Assembly (in Malay). Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Rafee, Hannah (2 Nov 2018). "Green convention centre raises the bar". The Edge. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Pisa complex: Council explains". New Straits Times. 1 Aug 1998. p. 14. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  5. ^ "Funds needed to spruce up $4m stadium". The Straits Times. 24 Jul 1998. p. 34. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025 – via National Library Board.
  6. ^ "Sports arena operator's debts settled with security deposit". New Straits Times. 16 Oct 1999. p. 6. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  7. ^ "MESYUARAT PERTAMA PENGGAL KETIGA DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI PULAU PINANG KESEPULUH". Penang State Legislative Assembly (in Malay). Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  8. ^ "Poor Seating Facilities For Fans At Sukma". New Straits Times. 20 Jun 2000. p. 34. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  9. ^ "Judo gets local and foreign assistance". New Straits Times. 15 Sep 2001. p. 38. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  10. ^ "Cabbies make a killing". New Straits Times. 9 Sep 2001. p. 34. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "The economic flavor that sPICE will bring" (PDF). Buletin Mutiara. Nov 2011. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  12. ^ Katahenggam, Nagathisen. "Fiscal Analysis and Governance of the City Council of Penang Island 2002–2011" (PDF). Taylor's University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Penang govt to implement FRS 139". The Edge. 8 May 2009. Retrieved 21 Apr 2025.
  14. ^ White, Steve (1 Jun 2017). "Meet in Penang: Malaysian spice". Business Traveller. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  15. ^ "SP Setia's long term growth banks on recent land bid wins – Analysts". The Borneo Post. 18 Jan 2011. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  16. ^ Ann Tan (16 Jan 2011). "RM300mil SPICE Centre for Penang". The Star. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  17. ^ "Penang to pay RM11.5m for sPICE". The Edge. 17 Jan 2011. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  18. ^ "SP Setia wins Penang convention centre deal". Business Times. 17 Jan 2011. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025 – via Penang Property Talk.
  19. ^ "SP Setia must take possession of Pisa first". Business Times. 21 Jan 2012. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025 – via Penang Property Talk.
  20. ^ a b Tan, Sin Chow (21 Oct 2015). "SPICE project to wrap up final 20% of construction by end 2016". The Star. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  21. ^ a b c d e Emmanuel, Marina (28 Jan 2016). "SP Setia unveils SPICE Aquatic Centre in Penang". New Straits Times. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  22. ^ a b c Christopher Tan (13 Dec 2022). "Amari SPICE Penang targets Q1 2023 to be fully operational". Buletin Mutiara. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  23. ^ "SETIA SPICE ARENA". Setia SPICE. S P Setia. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  24. ^ Penang Meeting Planners Guide 2022–2023 (PDF). Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau. 2024.
  25. ^ "SETIA SPICE CONVENTION CENTRE". Setia SPICE. S P Setia. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  26. ^ "Setia SPICE Convention Centre honoured at ACEM Engineering Awards 2019". S P Setia. Sep 2019. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
  27. ^ Thevadass, Logeiswary (20 Mar 2017). "SPICE Convention Centre runs on hybrid solar power". The Star. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.
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