China never fails to amaze.
CHINA – China recently completed the construction of an exclusive venue for the newly launched VCT CN League near the Huangpu River in Shanghai with a capacity of 400 seaters. Eric Feng, Director of TJ Sports and Head of VALORANT Esports, revealed in a VCT CN pre-event press conference that the venue was built in just 50 working days to be ready for use ahead of the ongoing KICKOFF event.
“The venue you are currently in officially started construction around December of last year, so it took approximately two months to build such an excellent facility,” Eric mentioned to the press during the first day of VCT CN KICKOFF. Situated at Dock 3 within the Puxi Park of the Shanghai World Expo, the brand-new VCT CN venue goes down to a depth of 10 meters below the ground surface.
As the start date for the circuit drew near, there was discussion on whether to opt for a temporary venue for the KICKOFF event or take on the seemingly impossible challenge, of completing the venue before mid-February. This decision became even more daunting considering the overlap with the Spring Festival holidays, which brought about both a shortage of labor and the chill of a cold wave.
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(Photos courtesy of 上海黄浦)
Nevertheless, VCT CN went for the latter choice after confirming the location in November, and then kicking off construction the very next month in December. It unfolded as a masterpiece collaboration between the VCT CN officials and the local government of Huangpu, bringing together various units including the Urban Planning and Resources Bureau, the District Construction Management Committee, and other essential bodies.
China’s remarkable ability to undertake rapid construction projects had already proven its mettle long before the construction of the VCT CN venue, which was put to the test during the challenging period of the coronavirus pandemic. As the pandemic swept across the nation, creating an urgent need for additional healthcare facilities, China built a number of temporary hospitals within a matter of days. The goal was clear – to provide thousands of beds for the growing number of patients. It left an indelible mark on the nation’s reputation for efficient construction capabilities.
Little did the world know that this experience would be crucial to esports for the construction of the VCT CN venue, where China’s ability to rapid and precise construction would once again take center stage.
The VCT CN venue ultimately completed its construction in just 50 working days. Eric, recalling a visit from US representatives of Riot Games who came to inspect the arena, shared their reaction, describing it as “incredible.”
“First off, our venue is inside a dock, and you can really feel the 10-meter drop in there. When we were working on this arena, I was chatting with the team, thinking about experiences like when you go to places with themes, like Universal Studios or Disney. Every time we queue up for a themed spot, we pay a lot of attention to the whole entry and waiting process, as well as the overall experience during the play.
“We hope that through physical setups, whether when entering the venue, walking through our passages, taking the elevator, entering our foyer, or reaching our main stage, the whole process immerses everyone in the atmosphere of VALORANT Esports. This is where we differ from other venues – they’re all built above ground, while ours is built underground.
“Secondly, from the get-go, the design of our venue was all about hosting VALORANT Esports. So, you could say this place was built from 0 to 1 specifically for VALORANT Esports, making our venue different from others. Other venues might not have been as tightly integrated with the nature of the esports events during their initial construction, which is a unique aspect for us.
The Head of VALORANT Esports for CN also revealed that there are always plans to extend their footprint beyond Shanghai in their VCT roadmap. “I think the main reason for choosing Shanghai is its focused approach and abundant esports resources. The Shanghai municipal government has even expressed the ambition to establish the city as ‘the global capital of esports.’
“Conveniently, Tencent Sports, including LPL, operates out of Shanghai, and being a new project, we have certain advantages in the city. However, we are committed to expanding our reach to more cities and engaging a broader player base. In the upcoming competitions this year, we will do our best to bring some events to other cities, allowing local players to experience the allure of VALORANT Esports.”
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Cover photo courtesy of VALORANT Esports CN
