The Shanghai Olympic Club hotel in downtown Xujiahui will be demolished and replaced by a public sports park, officials said yesterday.

The three-story hotel on Zhongshan No.2 Road S. was opened in 1988 with 212 rooms. It became famous when many athletes and foreign journalists stayed there for the Special Olympics in 2007.

The hotel and the nearby Shanghai Stadium and Shanghai Gymnasium will be incorporated into the new Xujiahui Sports Park, said the Shanghai Planning, Land and Resources Administration. The 360,000 square meter park on Tianyaoqiao Road and Zhongshan No.2 Road S. will be the city’s largest public sports venue.