A recent visit by reporters to the intersection of Huayuan Road and Shanda Road in Ji'nan's Licheng District revealed a significant change to the signage at the former Shandong Deyun Cultural Plaza site.
The new signboard, installed on September 9th, now reads "China Construction Sixth Engineering Bureau undertaking the Ji'nan Honglou Vientiane City project construction general contracting (EPC)," replacing the previous project identification. Observers noted that the construction site remains closed, surrounded by green barriers, with no visible activity, and a local resident mentioned the site has appeared dormant for roughly five to six years.
A closer inspection through gaps in the fence found no signs of ongoing construction work on the premises. A site worker confirmed the signage was freshly changed just yesterday but stated they were unaware whether the project would indeed transition into the Honglou Vientiane City commercial complex.
Intriguingly, the official public facility notice board posted on the surrounding barriers still identifies the project as the Shandong Deyun Cultural Plaza, listing the developer as Shandong Zhengdong Real Estate Co., Ltd. Although attempts were made by reporters to contact Shandong Zhengdong via the Tianyancha app, there was no response by the time of publication.
Further inquiries were directed to the Licheng District Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau. A staff member who previously handled the project, Mr. Sun, indicated his position had changed and he no longer oversees it. Another official from the bureau's third sub-branch stated that the project has not yet gone through their approval procedures, deferring questions to the developer. Meanwhile, a representative from the Shandong Shenglong Real Estate Group declared no knowledge of the matter and suggested seeking information on-site.
Adding to the uncertainty, a staff member at the Hongjialou Sub-district Office mentioned to media that while they understand Shandong Zhengdong is still in talks with Vientiane City, there is no definitive information on groundbreaking dates or completion timelines.
To date, no official announcement has been made regarding any changes to the land plot's development plans. Historical records indicate that on May 31, 2019, news of Deyun Society's intention to establish a presence in Ji'nan caused a stir, leading to a cooperation agreement for the Shandong Deyun Cultural Plaza project between Shenglong and the Ji'nan Cultural Tourism Development Group.
The following day, Guo Degang publicized the plan to construct a 40,000-square-meter venue. By May 21, 2020, the signing ceremony for the Shandong Deyun Comprehensive Performing Arts Center project took place, unveiling the final site selection with a total planned investment of 2.7 billion yuan and a targeted completion by the end of 2021.
The project's foundation stone was laid on August 15, 2020, and in September of that year, the planning scheme was adjusted and approved, incorporating a sunken plaza connected to the entrance of Metro Line 7. Construction officially began on March 28, 2021. However, by July 2023, reports surfaced that work had stalled for nearly a year due to funding issues. The latest change in early January 2026 saw the signage updated to reflect the current EPC contractor status.