The company behind the aborted SnowWorld theme park on southern Ma Wan has claimed the project fell victim to a dispute between property giant Sun Hung Kai and the government.
SnowWorld blamed the government for the problems, but insisted it was committed to getting the project off the ground.
The comments follow the government's announcement that the project would be put to open tender after Sun Hung Kai withdrew its application for a direct land grant of 12.1 hectares on behalf of SnowWorld.
Phil Stratton, chief executive of SnowWorld Hong Kong, said: 'Plans for SnowWorld have not fallen through, and it was only held up because of the land problem that was not of SnowWorld's making.' He said the Lands Department insisted that Sun Hung Kai make progress on its own theme park on north side of the island off Lantau before processing SnowWorld's application.
A spokeswoman for Sun Hung Kai denied the company had received any such demands. She said Sun Hung Kai never intended investing in the project and was only acting as a middleman.
