THE Chimelong International Ocean Resort International Circus Stadium on Hengqin Island, which is likened to JRR Tolkien's trilogy, Lord of the Rings, is being fine-tuned for a grand opening on November 20.

Costing 300 million yuan ($49.23 million) and covering 8,000sqm, the stadium will bring together a fellowship of up to 2,700 people. It is encircled by a ring-like wall which is both concave and convex.

The stadium was designed by the Guangzhou Design Institute whereas the exterior curtain wall was designed and constructed by Zhuhai King Glass Engineering Group, which had designed and built the curtain wall and roofing of the National Grand Theatre in Beijing.

The outside surface of the stadium has 2,100 aluminum plates, the largest being 4sqm. The curtain wall is supported by a steel structure with each aluminum plate adjustable and thus easy for precise installation and maintenance, according to a project manager surnamed Chen.

Hollow toughened low-e coated glass has been applied to the curtain wall on the ground floor while the first-floor canopy has the shape of a lotus flower. Most difficult to construct was the large-span overhang steel structure, large multi-curvature aluminum plates and 900kg hallow laminated tempered glass, Chen explained.

Wavy fresco has been installed overhead in the stadium hall displaying flying trapeze, star animals, and humorous clowns and so on at a cost of over 1 million yuan ($16.4 million).

Inside the stadium, high-tech lighting, sound, lifting and rotating facilities add luster to circus performances.

"We can say the circus stadium is the most advanced and professional circus performance venue in the world," festival art director Li Chi asserted.

The audience area of 2,700 red chairs surrounds a round stage with a diameter of 13m. The background wall of the performing area is decorated with small lighting devices and inlayed with multi- faceted crystals, which will gleam like stars. The globular structure on top of the stadium is installed with varied-colored lighting fixtures.

Backstage, densely dotted metal racks from low to high support the stage performance and effects. There is also a cellar equipped with lifting devices.

The holding pens for star animals are in a row of yellow bungalows separated with 4-5m wire mesh southeast of the stadium. Also north of the bungalows are iron cages of different sizes for circus animals. Non-staff are not allowed to approach, according to a staff member.