The Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, a 15,000 seat state of the art athletics facility opened in 2011 to much fanfare and excitement, a tangible symbol not only of the Bahamian commitment to sporting excellence, but also of the growing relations between The Bahamas and China. The stadium was a gift from the People’s Republic of China and was negotiated under the first Christie Government and completed under the last Ingraham Government.

The stadium was named in honour of Bahamian athletics legend, Thomas Augustus Robinson, who competed at four Olympic Games as a sprinter and is considered one of the icons of Bahamian sports. The stadium has Olympic and international certification and has been designed to accommodate most sporting events, including American Football, Rugby, Soccer, and Track & Field. Features / Specs of the stadium include: Eight (8) full lanes of Mundo surface; a Finish line Electronic Timing system, which assures the display of accurate results on the scoreboard; High, Long & Triple Jump Pits at both ends of track; Pole Vault runway & Pit; Permanent runways located at the northern endof the stadium; Separate Competitive areas for Hammer, Javelin, Discuss and Shot-putt; American Football & Soccer Field at International Dimensions; a VIP Lounge & Canopy Area for 100 people; Lighting for Night Use; Seating for 3500; Male & Female Bathrooms, Changing Rooms and Showers; Medical Facilities Concession Stand; and Parking Facilities.

In 2009, the Ministry of Finance approved receipt of a nearly $58 Million USD concessional loan from Export-Import (Exim) Bank of China, out of which the completion of the Airport Gateway Project (AGP) was identified as high priority. The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation and China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. (CSCEC) later signed an agreement engaging CSCEC to perform the Design-Build Service for the project.

The project includes the construction of a dual carriageway along John F. Kennedy Drive; the rehabilitation of the existing carriageway for east-bound travel; construction of nine roundabouts; the underground installation of a 24-inch water main that will take water from the west to the east of New Providence; the underground installation of all electrical services and low voltage cables; the relocation of telecommunication and cable infrastructure; dense landscaping and the completion of ancillary work, including drainage, signage, street lights and accesses.

The project encompasses approximately 6.2 miles of road, running from Windsor Field Road to the six-legged roundabout on John F. Kennedy Drive and is expect: to improve the capacity of the entrance road system to the airport, as there is limited traffic capacity going into the downtown area; to strengthen inter-island communication, access and improve the layout of road network design; to enhance the landscaping along the gateway of Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA), and to provide safe driving conditions where the alignment of the existing road is irregular.