Stadium box holders seek free extensions

TENANTS of the 50 corporate suites at the Hong ong Stadium are so incensed over the programming of events at the arena they are asking for free extension of their leases as compensation.

Sources say some corporate box holders are fed up with the concert noise issue and mediocre sports events at the arena and are considering a formal approach to the stadium managers, Wembley International, and the Urban Council.

Several proposals have been made during discussions with Wembley which include the free extension of leases, refunding the remainder of tenancies which expire in March 1997, and passing contracts on to another party. Wembley spokesman, Eddie Wong, admitted numerous proposals have been made.

But Mr Wong emphasised they were part of normal dialogue with suite holders.

'In the course of our regular communication with suite tenants various proposals have been raised by some companies,' he said.

'There have been some complaints about the programming, some are not happy with so much sport, but this is part of our normal discussions with them.' Mr Wong said any formal request by tenants would have to got to the council's Stadium Board of Governors.

'Anything to do with their tenancy agreement must go through the board as it involves money. Whatever is considered must be approved by the board, it is nothing we can give a decision on. But there has been no formal approach as yet,' he said.

Residents in the Broadwood Road area behind the stadium are adamant concerts cannot be staged at the arena as crowd noise breaches legal limits.

Before the stadium's re-opening last year, companies and the public were promised top international and local music acts would be performing in the arena as well as sports events.

But as noise problems are preventing concerts, both the council and Wembley have pledged to diversify the stadium's programming for both the benefit of the public and the arena's self-financing status.