AN GIANG — One year in, Sun Group’s APEC Phú Quốc Multi-purpose Performance Hall is taking shape as one of Asia’s largest theatres.

Sun Group said more than 98 per cent of the reinforced-concrete structure is done. The hall is the core piece of the public-private partnership (PPP)-funded APEC Convention Centre complex.

It boasts 54,680 sq.m of floor area, 17,250 sq.m of roof, six above-ground floors plus a basement, and 4,030 seats, larger than Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, the Oscars venue.

Foundation work is 100 per cent complete, including the basement slab and foundation bracing. The circular theatre block, a heaven symbol in Eastern cosmology, has finished about 3,000 tonnes of steel roof trusses and support frames.

Crews are now lifting 35 roof steel modules totaling about 1,140 tonnes. Facade and roof teams are running in parallel, with the exterior targeted for completion in Q4/2026, clearing the way for specialty equipment and full interior fit-out.

The exterior signature is 50 columns around the hall, drawn from the Dragon and Fairy legend and the 50 children who followed Great Father Lạc Long Quân to the sea. The interwoven columns evoke a Vietnamese bamboo grove standing by the sea on Phú Quốc – a symbol of resilience, flexibility and national spirit.

Architect Trương Hoàng Hải, Sun Group’s design manager for the hall and APEC Convention Centre, said interior work is advancing. Fit-out includes a pearl-vaulted lobby, diplomatic VIP lounge, premium bar and royal-toned main auditorium. Post-completion, the venue is pitched for high-level diplomatic events.

Sun Group started landscaping early so trees can root during construction and form a green envelope around the theatre once interiors and exteriors are finished.

The hall is set to host the APEC 2027 opening and closing ceremonies and key music shows, which will gather leaders from 21 member economies and foreign delegations.

To avoid an empty venue after APEC 2027, the investor plans partnerships with world-class show developers for circus, acrobatics and music productions. The aim is to keep the lights on and turning the hall into an international art and tourism anchor in Phú Quốc.

For APEC 2027, the southern province of An Giang is consolidating its steering committee. Its police are leading a crackdown on crime and social evils in Phú Quốc special zone, with military and border guard coordination for patrols and security before, during and after Vietnam APEC Year 2027.

The province is also ramping up APEC 2027 communications and visual promotion, with training focusing on reception, foreign languages, tourism and international conference service skills. — VNA/VNS