LAHORE, June 27: A three-member delegation of the United Arab Emirates headed by State Minister Khalid Abdulrahim Al Zarooni reportedly showed interest in building a sports city in Lahore. Punjab Sports Minister Naeemullah Shahani said on Monday the delegation, during its one-day visit, also toured the area along the Ravi to select a piece of land for the project. The delegation, he said, wanted a location near the river. The minister said the visitors wanted 30,000 kanals for the project and Lahore was their only choice.

He said he offered the delegation the space earmarked for the Lahore Stadium on GT Road but it needed larger area.

The approval for the Lahore Stadium was given in the 2005-06 budget at an estimated cost of Rs1,600 million, he added.

He said the delegation also visited the Qadhafi Stadium, National Hockey Stadium and the Punjab Stadium, all situated in Nishter Sports Complex. The hockey stadium, the biggest in the world with a seating of 90,000, impressed the delegation the most, he added. He said according to the initial plan, besides a sport area, the project would also have hotels and shopping plaza. —Sports Correspondent