Hong Kong sports community hands in petition to lawmakers as funding argument over controversial HK$32b Kai Tak Sports Park reaches crunch time
Supporters of the long-delayed project are hoping it will finally be approved on Friday
Hong Kong’s sports community waged a final battle on Thursday to convince lawmakers to sign off on the HK$31.9 billion Kai Tak Sports Parks project as it entered the crucial stages of debate at the Legislative Council.
As the Finance Committee began debate on the mega-project at the former airport site, a group of athletes and sports officials gathered at the Council Chamber to rally support.
A petition from 73 national sports associations was handed to committee chairman Chan Kin-por urging officials to sign off on the long-delayed project.
“The authorities have been promising the sports park for over 15 years and we don’t want to see it fall through at the last hurdle ,” said Olympic Committee vice-president Pui Kwan-Kay, also vice-chairman of the Football Association, one of the potential hirers of the planned 50,000-seat main stadium.
“We are ‘Asia’s World City’, but we don’t have the sports facilities to live up to that reputation. It’s a shame.”
Badminton player Yoyo Ng Tsz-yau said her sport needed a better venue to attract major events other than the annual Hong Kong Open, which is held at the Coliseum in Hung Hom.