Site for Hong Kong Observation Wheel may be seized if new tenant fails to execute plan
Development Bureau stands by retender decision and says new operator should be motivated to start the ride as soon as possible, since it has to pay rent
The government has said it could seize the land that the Hong Kong Observation Wheel stands on, if the new tenant does not get the waterfront Ferris wheel up and running soon.
The Development Bureau also reserved the right to seek damages in court if it has to go through with the seizure.
In a statement issued late on Monday night, the bureau stood by its decision to put the site up for retender last November, instead of giving another short-term lease to the current operator, Swiss AEX.
Bidder for Hong Kong Observation Wheel pledges to lower ticket prices
“Our main consideration is to attract competitive tenders through fair and transparent means to provide the public with a high-quality wheel operation,” the bureau said.
Our main consideration is to attract competitive tenders
Asked if the government would step in if the wheel had to be torn down and whether the government had a responsibility to evaluate the situation during the tender process, she said: “As is the usual practice, the government could only work according to the spirit of the tender. We could not interfere in a random way.”
Lam described the tender process as “fair, just and without bias”. She added some might argue the tender requirement be written more strictly but others could be deterred if it were too strict.