Eastern Province sports lovers have appealed to the Saudi government to build them a new stadium along the lines of the King Abdullah Sports City that opened in Jeddah Thursday.

They said a new stadium would be an investment in the country's people. It could also provide good returns by garnering advertisement, and hosting local, regional and global championships.

Waleed Al-Hussain, a columnist for a local newspaper in the Eastern Province, said that soccer has billions of supporters around the world. There is no place in the world that does not have men and women, young and old either playing the game or watching their local soccer team. He said this was "a healthy and beautiful global phenomenon.”

“We congratulate the youth of the Kingdom on this beautifully constructed stadium Al-Jawhra and also Al-Durra in Riyadh. They represent unique models for future projects, aesthetically and functionally."

He hoped that the dreams of the Eastern Province youth to have a similar stadium "will come to life.”

“We hope that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques gives us the honor of establishing Al-Dana stadium in the Eastern Province on the level of Al-Jawhra and Al-Durra stadiums in design, capacity and capability,” he said. Fadhil Al-Buainain, writer and financial analyst, said that many in the Eastern Province also want a stadium because of the Riyadh and Jeddah facilities. He hoped that Saudi Aramco would help build it, in line with its other projects in the province.

“Saudi Aramco is a daughter of the Eastern Province, and as a daughter it has a duty toward its mother,” he said. Hamad Al-Riqtan agreed and said the province needs a "remarkable stadium. The governor of the Eastern Province and its businessmen are always supportive of these types of projects.”

Eissa Al-Khater hoped that Saudi Aramco would build the stadium.

Badah Al-Khaldi urged Saudi Aramco to fulfill its social responsibility by building the stadium, as it has done by constructing schools and other projects. He said the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation also has a role to play.