Expanding the VIP suite at the new airport to about double the size of the original plans was more costly than fitting out five-star hotel rooms, legislators heard.
The suite at Chek Lap Kok was increased to almost 27,000 square feet at a cost of about $33 million, or $2,500 for every extra square foot, Acting Secretary for Works Lee Shing-see said.
Mr Lee said this was more than double what it cost to fit out five-star hotels, but insisted the cost was reasonable.
He attributed part of the higher cost to diversion of ducts for more headroom the fact that it was in a non-urban area.
He said the size of the Chek Lap Kok VIP suite had been revised in light of the number of VIP visitors during the handover and for the World Bank/ International Monetary Fund last year.
