Hopes of a Bee Gees concert being staged in Hong Kong were reignited yesterday after a concert promoter said he would bring the supergroup to the SAR despite their asking price of more than US$1 million (HK$7.8 million).
Pato Leung Pak-to, who brought the group to Hong Kong in the 1970s, said he could arrange a return visit by the Gibb brothers, who reportedly demanded more than US$1 million for each concert in the SAR in previous negotiations.
The asking price has become one of the stumbling blocks for several promoters who have been trying for months to bring in the group for a concert in April. There were fears that the lack of a large venue in Hong Kong would make it difficult to generate enough revenue to cover the huge booking fee.
But Mr Leung, who tried in vain to bring in the band to play at the old Kai Tak airport in 2000, dismissed his rivals' concerns, saying there were still high hopes of a Bee Gees concert at the Hong Kong Stadium on an unconfirmed date.
'I have been in talks with the agents for a long time and there's a very high chance they will come. The negotiations are still going on and I can't say when the concert will be yet. The asking price is not a concern. I think it's worth it,' he said.
A proposed concert in April 2000 failed to materialise due to insufficient time to print and sell tickets amid a tight schedule, Mr Leung said. 'The band understood our situation and agreed to postpone until a time viable for both parties,' Mr Leung said.