Case against Wembley group over Hong Kong Stadium opens with government lawyer saying firm to blame for unsafe pitch
The Hong Kong Stadium's former manager should be held liable for mismanagement after leaving the pitch in such a poor condition that it could not safely be used for soccer or rugby events when its contract was prematurely terminated, a court heard yesterday.
The Secretary for Justice is suing Wembley International (HK) and its parent company, Wembley plc, for unspecified damages for the 'serious or persistent breach of its obligations' under the 10-year management agreement entered into on March 11, 1994.
Wembley, however, is understood to be planning its own claim against the government of $40 million for management fees and profits.
The stadium at So Kon Po in Causeway Bay was reconstructed and reopened on March 11, 1994, as a modern, world-class sports and entertainment venue for holding both national and international events. The redevelopment was funded by the then Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club at an estimated cost of $850 million.
Barrister Gladys Li SC, for the government, argued in the Court of First Instance that it was justifiable for the now-defunct Urban Council to prematurely terminate the contract with Wembley on May 26, 1998, due to the poor management of the stadium.
'The chief area of dissatisfaction the plaintiff had with the defendants' management was the state of the pitch ... there were many complaints, particularly from users, about the state of the pitch,' the barrister said.
