Delhi stadium rentals cut by 40-50 pc to make city hub for concerts, cultural events: Minister

New Delhi, Sept 20 (PTI) Delhi Minister for Art, Culture, Languages and Tourism Kapil Mishra on Saturday said the reduction in stadium booking charges is a "historic step" in turning the capital into a hub for live events and concerts.

In a statement, Mishra claimed, "The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has announced a cut of around 40 to “50 per cent in booking charges of major stadiums in the city." However, in a bid to preserve the sanctity of its stadia that also hosts non-sports events during off season, the SAI has introduced significantly higher tariffs and stringent penalties for organisers who fail to return the five facilities here in good condition after such gatherings, a 66-page notification released by SAI on September 18 said.

SAI has five venues in Delhi -- Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Swimming Pool Complex, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN) and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range.

According to a statement, the move, taken jointly by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Delhi Government, is expected to make the national capital more attractive for large-scale cultural shows and international events.

Calling it a major step towards making Delhi the most event-friendly city in India, Mishra said the decision would help transform the city into a global hub for live entertainment and concert economy.

He said the initiative was in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The revised tariffs, notified on September 18, have hiked the cost of booking to a massive Rs 25 lakh, which is a relief for international performers who were supposed to pay "around Rs 50 lakh" earlier, the notification said.

"The main arena of the JLN Stadium will be given on rent for non-sports events on condition that the event organiser ensures proper protection cover (mats/rugs etc.) of area to be utilised on Field of Play," the SAI said in it's notification.

"The Prime Minister's vision is to make Delhi a hub for live events and concert economy. One of the major obstacles was the high booking rates of stadiums, which led to large events being organised outside Delhi, in cities like Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Gurugram, and Noida," he said.

After extensive discussions with Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and two roundtable meetings with the industry, this historic decision was taken on Saturday, Mishra said. He added that the step will be crucial in establishing Delhi as a hub for concert economy.

He further said that the move would pave the way for Delhi to become the capital of cultural activities and live entertainment. The revised stadium rates would give new momentum to national and international live events and concerts in the city.

On September 2, Mishra met Mandaviya to discuss advancing the vision of making Delhi a global event hub. Senior representatives from the Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) and the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) also participated in the meeting, the statement said.

The discussions focused on reducing rental rates of major stadiums and simplifying event procedures, it said.

Mandaviya assured that all necessary measures would be taken to make Delhi a global centre for cultural activities and live entertainment, the statement added.

Industry leaders, including Rajeev Jain (PHDCCI), Ankur Kalra (EEMA), Sabbas Joseph (Wizcraft), Anil Makhija (BookMyShow) and Karan (Zomato), welcomed the government's decision and called it historic for Delhi, it said.

Mishra added that the decision will not only promote cultural and tourism activities in the capital but also increase employment opportunities and economic growth. PTI SHB OZ OZ OZ