Motorcross @ Tuas

Motorcross @ Tuas was a circuit and entertainment centre, which is being drawn up for a $40 million to $50 million motorsports circuit-cum-entertainment centre in Tuas. The development, spearheaded by Singapore Agro Agriculture, which is behind food-and-retail hub Turf City and kampung-style farm produce centre Farmart in Tengah, is slated to straddle two plots of land between the Asia Pacific Breweries plant and Raffles Marina. If built, it will boast a 540,000 sq m facility with a 5km race course.

While that would be long enough for Formula One races sanctioned by world racing body Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, it is unlikely to be another F1 venue. Instead, it will be vying to host regional racing events, such as Formula BMW Asia and Porsche's Carrera Cup Asia.

A Singapore Land Authority spokesman said it had been approached by an undisclosed party, and that talks are still 'pretty exploratory'.

Industrial space landlord JTC Corp said it is 'evaluating proposals, together with other government agencies like the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Singapore Tourism Board and the Singapore Sports Council'.

It was JTC which invited proposals for the site in October 2003 as part of its vision to develop the Tuas area as a complement to Jurong Industrial Estate. Singapore Agro Agriculture declined to talk about the project.

A source close to the plan said the planned development would create up to 1,000 new jobs, and give tourists another reason to visit Singapore. The land was leased until 26 November 2011, and was permanently closed down to make way for the new Tuas West Depot. It was being shifted to Changi East.

To be financially viable, the development has to have a plot ratio big enough to house a host of other tenants - from restaurants to retail outlets, from car dealerships to tyre shops.

'It might also have R&D facilities for manufacturers, and a petrol station,' claimed another party in the know.

The Singapore Motor Sports Association has been lobbying for such a circuit - where public roads are closed for racing - in Marina South.