GEORGE TOWN: SP Setia Bhd today unveiled the solar-powered Setia SPICE Aquatic Centre here, which boasts Penang's first photo voltaic (PV) farm.
The centre, located at Relau near Bayan Lepas had its soft opening in December 2015, and features sports facilities such as an Olympic-sized swimming pool and diving pool, a children’s water theme park, badminton courts, squash courts, function rooms, cafes, and a sports clinic.
In the near future, the centre will also see the addition of a gymnasium.
“Five years ago, SP Setia undertook a public-private partnership (PPP) project with the Penang Municipal Council (now known as the Penang Island City Council) to revamp the Penang Indoor Sports Arena or better known as PISA and its aquatic centre.
“In addition to that, Setia is to add three more components to the project which are, a convention centre, a hotel and retail outlets.
“In return, SP Setia was granted a 30-year concession by the council to manage and operate the place which is now known as the Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Centre (SPICE) upon its completion,” said SP Setia's acting president and chief executive officer Datuk Khor Chap Jen during the official opening by chief minister Lim Guan Eng.
A RM4 million solar photo voltaic system which can generate up to 980 megawatt hour (MWh) per year has been added onto the roof of both the Setia SPICE Aquatic Centre and the adjoining Setia SPICE Canopy.
Setia SPICE Canopy consists of 59 retail and food and beverage outlets with a total lettable floor area of 98,000 square feet, which also opened its doors last month.
The third component is Setia SPICE Arena, formerly known as the Penang Indoor Stadium and Arena (PISA).
It is an exhibition centre as well as an indoor stadium. Completed refurbishment and rectification works here include roof replacement, facelift works, façade lighting, air conditioning upgrading work, chiller installation, security surveillance system and renovation and external painting works.
“As Penang flourishes into an international business hub, there is a need for convention centres of this scale to cater for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) activities of larger scale which the former PISA building was not able to provide.
“With its strategic location, situated within close proximity of the Penang International Airport and surrounded by major roads with easy accessibility to the first Penang Bridge and the second bridge, the refurbishment and enhancement of PISA that was just a sports centre which now includes retail, food and beverage, hotel and a MICE centre, has increased the service offerings and value tremendously,” Khor added.
A 25-storey, 453-room business class hotel is the final component of the Setia SPICE development.
Construction of the hotel will commence upon approvals from the respective authority and it is targeted to open in 2019.