Police in Ho Chi Minh City have recently detained 3 top leaders of the Thien Thanh Group.  They were 49-year-old Pham Cong Danh, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the group, 43-year-old Phan Thanh Mai, a former member of the Board and General Director, and 31-year-old Mai Huu Khuong, a former member of the Board who was in charge of financial management.  They have all been charged with “deliberately acting against the State’s regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences”.

This information has given the Da Nang authorities cause to worry about the group’s planned development of a multi-storey trade and services complex on the site of the present Chi Lang Stadium.

The representative office of the Thien Thanh Group at the Chi Lang Stadium

In August 2010, the city authorities gave the Thien Thanh Group the go ahead for this 1 billion USD project, which will cover an area of 55,061m² on Hung Vuong, Ngo Gia Tu and Le Duan streets.

The project, which was expected to be completed in 5 years, will comprise 3 main areas.  There will be a 50-storey meeting hall/office/trade building on Le Duan Street with a total floor area of 113,930m², and a 50-storey hotel building on Hung Vuong Street with a floor area of 112,930m².  The twin towers are expected to become a new symbol of Da Nang.  In addition, there will be a 15-storey international hospital/school.   

However, in the past 3 years the Thien Thanh Group has failed to begin work on the project.  The city authorities intend to meet the developers, and those of other halted projects in the city, to discuss ways to sort out the problems and ensure stricter control of the city’s construction and land use management.