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Scientific Disneyland' vision for Hong Kong
1. Scientific Disneyland' vision for Hong Kong The
chief executive of the Hong Kong science park wants to turn it into a tourist
attraction - ``a kind of scientific Disneyland'' linked to a boating centre. Tam
Chun-ding bases his vision on Florida's Apcot Centre, which he says is one of
the state's key attractions along with Disneyland, its reputation as a boating
paradise and its warm weather. He said the SAR would offer a similar range of
attractions when Hong Kong's Disneyland opened, which would almost coincide with
the second phase of the science park. The park's location on the shore of Tolo
Harbour was also an ideal site for boating activities, he said. Tam outlined his
vision in an interview with The Standard as he was drawing up his blueprint for
the 1.13 million square foot second phase of the science park, expected to open
in 2006. ``There will be 30 buildings in the science park. Each one will have
a different focus and theme. With the use of multimedia and interactive approaches
in each of the buildings, we can create another Apcot Centre of science and technology,''
he said. To complement the park as a tourist attraction, Tam said the Tolo Harbour
frontage could be used to turn the usually calm harbour into ``the boating centre
of Asia'', using the restaurants and car parks already in existence. He said this
vision would be easy to achieve as the science parks had all the necessary hardware
and did not need to ``start from scratch''. Tam, the former executive vice-president
and president of the Asia-Pacific region for Motorola, also revealed that he was
in talks with a big company to conduct biotechnology business in the parks' industrial
estate. This would have a similar influence on the estate as its current tenant
CK Life Sciences International, owned by tycoon Li Ka-shing. ``I'm working on
another company that promotes research, development and manufacturing in Hong
Kong. CK Life Sciences is just the beginning. There's another big project coming,''
he promised. Tam said he was also in partnership talks with the Hong Kong Institute
of Biotechnology. The park would provide a 160,000 square foot centre while the
institute would provide its technology and facilities. The science park, which
has an occupancy rate of about 50 per cent, hopes to increase that to 70 per cent
by the end of this year after the opening of the 1.29 million sq ft Phase 1A at
Pak Shek Kok in June. Singapore electronics enterprise Aztec will sign up for
radio frequency and software design, and park officials are still in talks with
two Japanese enterprises for photonic and semiconductor design. The government
has earmarked HK$12 billion for the entire science park project, with development
planned in three phases. When completed in 2008, the science park will cover 3.55
million sq ft. [Source:
The Standard, 2 September 2002] |  |
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