HCM City authorities are finding it hard to attract investors to four proposed public parking lots in the downtown area.

HCM CITY – The HCM City Department of Transport has warned that the shortage of public parking space is worsening because building parking lots is expensive and returns on them are low.

The city has planned a number of underground car parks in the downtown area such as at Lê Văn Tám and Tao Đàn parks, Trống Đồng Theatre and Hoa Lư Stadium, all in District 1.

Approved in 2009 the proposed lot under Lê Văn Tám Park will accommodate 1,300 cars and 2000 motorbikes, but it remains on paper.

The one at Trống Đồng Theatre is proposed to be 1,620sq.m in size and VNĐ740 billion (US$31.9 million). It will include seven floors below ground and three above.

It is expected to accommodate 890 cars and 400 motorbikes.

The four-storey underground lot at Tao Đàn Park will cost VNĐ1 trillion ($43.1 million) and have space for 1,198 cars and 896 motorcycles.

The Hoa Lư Stadium lot will cost VNĐ3.4 trillion ($146.6 million) and have five underground floors with space for 2,548 cars and 2,873 motorcycles.

According to the department, one of the main hurdles is that large underground and high-rise parks require large investments but take very long to break even.

Breakeven has been estimated at between 31 and 46 years, making them unattractive to private investors, it said.

To overcome this problem, it plans to waive land rentals for them. – VNS