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1. The 70,000-seat stadium planned for Kai Tak

1. The 70,000-seat stadium planned for Kai Tak
CHAN KIN-WA , SCMP 12 May 2005

The $5 billion state-of-the-art stadium being proposed by the government for the development of the former Kai Tak airport site would have a maximum capacity of 70,000.

The design also includes a retractable roof to minimise the impact of noise from the venue.

A conceptual design by the Architectural Services Department shows that the 24-hectare complex would comprise three major venues. The main stadium would have a minimum seating capacity of 50,000 with the capability of extending this to 70,000 for hosting international events and ceremonies. The design also features a secondary warm-up stadium with a minimum capacity of 5,000 and an aquatic centre with a minimum capacity of 4,000.

A government source said there was a need for a multi-purpose stadium to better support high-performance athletes in Hong Kong, as well as to provide facilities for a wide range of sports, entertainment, cultural and community events.

The department inspected a number of world-class stadiums in the region before drawing up the Kai Tak design. They included the International Stadium in Yokohama, Japan, Pusan Asian Stadium in South Korea, the National Stadium Bukit Jalil, Malaysia, and Oita Main Stadium in Japan.

The government source said the intention was to provide state-of-the-art facilities which would be unique to the region.

The main stadium would be equipped with a retractable roof so that different events could be held in all weather conditions, and would also minimise noise impact.

A movable spectator stand has also been proposed to cater for varying sizes of playing surface for different sports.

"The aim is to bring spectators as close as possible to the action," said the source.

The playing surface in the main stadium would be highly adaptable, with two main approaches considered - a sliding surface, which could be adapted to accommodate different sports, and a palleted flooring system where different sections of the main playing area could be removed.

The conceptual design has been submitted by the department to the Sports Commission for discussion.

"Since the project costs an estimated $5 billion, the government will certainly take a cautious approach before any concrete plan is adopted. The sustainability of the stadium complex will also be studied, as it is estimated that the operating costs will not be less than $100 million a year," the source said.