Editorial | Kai Tak Sports Park has victory in sight ahead of big kick-off
Hong Kong venue cannot afford to disappoint fans in March opening after passing several tests, including one at its nearly full 50,000-seat stadium
Excitement is building for the long-awaited opening of Hong Kong’s new HK$30 billion Kai Tak Sports Park, with much at stake as the city seeks to establish itself as an international centre for mega-events. Practice, it is to be hoped, makes perfect. A series of varied test runs and drills began in October and have featured all three venues.
They reached a peak on Tuesday when the showpiece 50,000-seater stadium was filled to almost capacity for an Under-22 football league match between Kitchee and North District. The venue’s roof was retracted for the first time.
This major test appears to have gone smoothly. The ability of spectators to disperse after the game – late at night on a weekday – was closely watched. It took only 15 minutes for 80 per cent of the attendees to depart and 40 minutes for the stadium to empty.
There were two fire drills and a security test involving a “fan” throwing a paper cup at a player, prompting police to intervene. Noise levels recorded at a nearby housing estate were within legal limits. There was also positive feedback from attendees – mostly invited civil servants – who seem to have enjoyed the experience, and from young players who were impressed with the stadium.
All of this is encouraging as the city gears up for the official opening on March 1.
Previous tests have involved the 10,000-seater indoor arena and 5,000-capacity youth sports ground. There have been rugby and basketball matches as well as pop concerts. An emergency evacuation and a counterterrorism drill formed part of the preparations. The dry runs have generally proceeded well, with just a few teething problems, including a concert that started and finished later than scheduled. If there are issues that need tackling, they need to be resolved during the tests.
