. Located in the northwestern suburb of Kranji, the Southeast Asian nation’s racecourse sits on 300 acres of land – roughly more than 200 football fields. It will be returned to government by 2027, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of National Development said in a joint statement Monday. The site will be redeveloped to meet the country’s future needs for housing and potentially include venues for leisure and recreation, it added. “Singapore is a city-state with limited land.
Over 80% of residents live in public housing and undeveloped land is scarce. Niam Chiang Meng, the club’s chairman, said in a statement that they were “saddened by the decision of the government to close the club.” “Singapore Turf Club recognizes that the Kranji site is a valuable resource that can help meet the evolving needs and aspirations of Singaporeans, and this transition will serve to optimize land use for the greater good of the local community and future generations,” Niam said.