HK$32 billion Kai Tak sports park plan narrowly approved by Legco subcommittee

Final approval in Finance Committee likely to be drawn-out affair amid filibustering over contentious ‘cashback’ scheme for unsuccessful bidders for mega project

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An artist's impressions of what the Kai Tak Sports Park will look like. Photo: Handout

Published: 11:15am, 31 May 2017Updated: 11:51pm, 31 May 2017

Lawmakers on Wednesday gave the initial green light to building Hong Kong’s long-awaited sports complex at Kai Tak, but the government is still facing an uphill battle to get final approval for the HK$31.9 billion project.

The Legislative Council’s public works subcommittee passed the funding request for the Kai Tak Sports Park by 18 votes to 17, but fierce filibustering is expected when lawmakers on the Finance Committee meet to make a final decision.

Committee chairman Chan Kin-por called on lawmakers not to block or delay the mega project after League of Social Democrats lawmaker “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung made it clear he would mount a filibuster.

Leung and his pan-democrat colleagues were outraged that the government planned to compensate each unsuccessful bidder to the tune of up to HK$60 million, or 50 per cent of the actual cost incurred in the preparation of the tender, whichever is lower. This is to make sure there will be enough tenders.

“I will do whatever I can,” Leung said.

Taxpayers will pay for the construction, while the winning bidder from the private sector will be responsible for designing, building and operating the sports complex under a 25-year contract.