IT has been proposed that cultural and sports venues in Shenzhen be opened for residents to use free of charge or at a discount during certain periods.

A study recently conducted by the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Congress (MPC), however, did not specify how long such venues should be open to residents for free.

Official figures show Shenzhen had 10,246 cultural venues and about 14,000 stadiums by the end of 2017. Among them, 21 large stadiums are equipped with over 3,000 seats each. The city has 47 museums and 97 libraries, but the numbers are still far below those of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

The MPC deputies have raised several plans for the construction of culture and sports venues with high standards, such as building cultural hubs while also incorporating elements of business and creative culture.

The existing venues, especially the stadiums, can’t meet the needs of residents, because the operators tend to use the stadiums to earn profits rather than providing free services for the public, according to the proposal.

Since most of the stadiums can be rented out for profitable performances and exhibitions, they can’t even fulfill the training requirements of professional sports teams.

The deputies suggested in the proposal that the companies in charge of sports stadiums must guarantee residents free admission or discounts during certain periods. (Zeng Zhiwei)