Lai See | Tycoon bids for a piece of Central Police Station project

The Jockey Club CPS (JCCPS), which is charged with overseeing the Central Police Station Revitalisation Project, is getting close to appointing an operator for the heritage and contemporary art element of the scheme. Indeed the committee is tomorrow interviewing billionaire Adrian Cheng Chi-kong and Calvin Hui, who are co-founders of the not-for-profit organisation Arts in Heritage Research (AHR).

Cheng is a grandson of New World tycoon Cheng Yu-tung and a director of New World Development and other group companies as well being one of the world's youngest billionaires at 34. Calvin Hui is a well-known figure in Asian art circles and a co-director of Fine Art Asia.

AHR is the sole remaining bidder for the role after two others were ruled out on a technicality as they were not set up as non-profit organisations. AHR, which was set up late last year, looks almost tailor-made for the role, but we are assured that despite being the last one standing it will not be a shoe-in, but it must be the favourite. After tomorrow's meeting the JCCPS will make a recommendation to the Jockey Club.

The other bidders included the Hong Kong Arts Centre and a consortium which included Claire Hsu's Asia Art Archive, Para Site, the Hong Kong Arts Festival, and The Ink Society.

While the JCCPS will be overseeing the site, the Jockey Club was concerned that it should distance itself from the contemporary art element of the project. While the stewards like the fit between heritage and contemporary art, they are acutely aware that artists are prone to incorporating political messages in their art. Given that it is controlled by the government, the Jockey Club, while relaxed about artists exercising freedom of expression, does not want to find itself in the position of having to condone or censor art that might end up on the site. That's why it is appointing an independent operator.

But the prospect of an organisation involving Adrian Cheng being appointed has raised a few eyebrows. His arts credentials are undoubtedly impressive, as the founder of the K11 Art Foundation and his links with London's Tate and the Royal Society and so on. But as with so much of what goes on here, if it's a project with prestige then there's a tycoon involved.