Over the weekend, a brand-new sports complex opened in Hurghada, featuring state-of-the-art facilities for both professional and amateur athletes. We were there for the opening, and it’s pretty sweet.
It’s huge and really well located: it covers more than 100,000 square meters and is just minutes from Hurghada International Airport. As for facilities, they’ve got it all covered. The unique complex offers a FIFA-standard football stadium, Olympic and half-Olympic length swimming pools, tennis, handball and beach volleyball courts, and so much more.
The club aims to “serve as a focal point and a link between sports and social and recreational life,” said Ibrahim Abu Ashara, CEO of the Egyptian Swiss Company, which is behind the project. It aims to attract both international and local teams and help to promote tourism, a vital part of Egypt’s economy.
On Saturday, a soft opening gave us a sneak peek at what to expect and was attended by Minister of Sport Khaled Abdel Aziz and Red Sea Governor Gen. Ahmed Abdallah, as well as a handful of well-known athletes.
On Monday, we attended the opening of Phase 1 of the club, which included the opening of four swimming pools, three football fields, handball, volleyball, tennis and squash courts, a multi-purpose racetrack and a children’s area and snack bar.
The opening saw a number of activities for children, from visits by Spongebob and Dora and face painting to three different pools to swim in. There were also impromptu football matches, a tennis competition and a super intense six-minute CrossFit workout.
Phase two of the project will include the opening of a hotel to serve the complex and a “global medical health center.”
Senzo Sporting Club is a “quantum leap” in the areas of sports and tourism in Egypt, and will “contribute to attract different classes of tourists,” Abu Ashara explained.
Abu Ashara said the club will be able to help push the national economy through sports tourism, which would include tournaments, leagues and competitions that would attract large numbers of tourists.
“Tourism… is no longer limited to visiting ancient ruins,” he added.
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