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1. Disney sets September date for park debut

2. HK Disney to be world's cheapest

3. Transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands/Chairman of Housing Authority

4. Building plans approved in October

1. Disney sets September date for park debut
Grace Lam, The Standard 23 November 2004

Hong Kong Disneyland - the government's first big-ticket tourism investment and Walt Disney Co's first foray into China - will open to the public next September 12.

With the mainland and Asian markets in mind, prices at the Lantau Island extravaganza will be cheaper - but not that much - than at Disney's four established parks in the United States, France and Japan.

Weekend and peak day admission will be HK$350 for adults. That compares with HK$393 at Tokyo Disneyland, HK$427 and HK$388 at the Orlando and Anaheim parks in the US, and HK$383 at the French park outside Paris.

``Our feng shui master has assured us that September 12 is a fabulous date to open Hong Kong Disneyland,'' Don Robinson, group managing director of the Hong Kong park, said at a press conference on Monday.

He forecast that the theme park will attract 5.6 million visitors in its first year - a third of them local, a third from the mainland and a third from Southeast Asia.

Once the park's first phase is completed - at a date yet to be decided - that number could climb to 10 million a year, Robinson said.

The SAR government will be hoping his estimates are on target, for it has already sunk more than HK$20 billion of public funds in the venture - HK$13.6 billion for land formation and reclamation, infrastructure and transportation, HK$6.1 billion in loans and an investment of HK$3.25 billion in the joint venture set up to run the park.

Disney, on the other hand, will own 43 per cent of the project after having committed just HK$2.45 billion in equity.

Financial Secretary Henry Tang, who also attended the press conference, said the whole economy will continue to benefit from the project.

The construction of the park has already created some 11,400 jobs and another 18,000 will follow after the opening, Tang said.

In its first 40 years, the park is predicted to generate as much as HK$148 billion in economic benefits. Tang said the park will be a driving force for tourism growth. ``Never has a Disneyland been built so fast. It's the first Disneyland in China and will be, for quite some time, the only Disneyland in China,'' he said.

The theme park was originally expected to open in late 2005 or early 2006.

Hong Kong Disneyland will consist of Mainstreet USA and three themed areas - Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Adventureland. Among the featured attractions will be the Jungle River Cruise and the Festivals of the Lion King, the latter including a Broadway-style theatrical spectacle. There will also be two hotels at the site.

A reservations centre will be set up in Hong Kong next year to start taking bookings from the public.

"After some six to eight months of research, we believe that the ticket prices for Hong Kong Disneyland represent excellent value for our guests, who can enjoy a full day of adventure with an array of attractions, world-class hotel accommodations along with special dining and our unique evening firework spectaculars,'' Roy Tan Hardy, Hong Kong Disneyland's vice-president for sales and marketing, said.

2. HK Disney to be world's cheapest
WINNIE YEUNG, SCMP 23 November 2004

The wait is almost over - Hong Kong Disneyland will open on September 12 next year, months ahead of schedule. And ticket prices will be the cheapest of any Disney park in the world.

Announcing plans for the opening yesterday, the theme park's managing director, Don Robinson, said the date was chosen by fung shui masters as "the perfect day to open the Disneyland".

Unlike the other parks, which have fixed-price day tickets, Hong Kong Disneyland will have two-tier pricing. Admission will cost more on what Disney calls "special days" - weekends, public holidays, all days in July and August and the mainland's "golden week" holidays in May and October.

The price for adults will be $295 on regular weekdays and $350 on special days; prices for children aged three to 11 will be $210 on weekdays and $250 on special days and prices for seniors aged 65 or above will be $170 on weekdays and $200 on special days. Children under the age of three will enjoy free admission. The cost for a family of four, including two children aged three to 11, to visit the park at weekends will be $1,200.

The ticket price for peak periods is still lower than the admission fees at the other four Disney parks. The one-day price for Tokyo Disneyland is the equivalent of $393, while the park in Orlando, Florida, is the most expensive at $427.

Roy Tan Hardy, vice-president for marketing at Hong Kong Disneyland, said prices had been set, after extensive research across the region, at a level that would be most acceptable to customers in Asia.

Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung and tourism sector legislator Howard Young both believed the admission prices were reasonable.

But they urged the park to provide a cheaper group rate so travel agents could sell travel packages at a lower price to attract tourists.

Mr Tung said he would help the council's members to file this request. He also hoped Disney would give a commission to agents.

Disney predicts Hong Kong Disneyland will attract 5.6 million visitors in its first year and one-third of them will be from the mainland.

Mr Tung said the theme park would be most attractive to tourists from the Pearl River Delta. "Not everyone there is able to go to Japan to visit its park," he said. "Hong Kong has the geographical advantage."

Mr Young also said the Hong Kong park could compete successfully with the one in Japan, which was aimed more at the domestic market.

"I hope the one in Hong Kong will target tourists instead of locals," he said.

Mr Young hoped the park would not focus just on mainland tourists but aim for a market with a "wider spectrum".

Financial Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen said the Disneyland project had already created 11,400 jobs during construction and 18,000 jobs would be created in phases by its opening.

It is estimated the project will bring in $148 billion to Hong Kong during the park's first 40 years.

The park also revealed yesterday that a 30-minute Broadway-style production of The Lion King will be presented at the park daily, with a more lavish debut show staged on the park's opening day. It will be the first Broadway-style production to be staged in Hong Kong on a permanent basis.

The park's reservation call centre will open early next year for worldwide bookings of tickets and hotel rooms. Local ticket arrangements will be announced soon.

3. Transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands/Chairman of Housing Authority
Hong Kong Government, 22 November 2004

Following is a transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands/Chairman of the Housing Authority, Mr Michael Suen speaking to the press after a meeting at the Legislative Council this (November 22) afternoon(English portion):

Reporter: Mr Suen, what do you think about the trial?

Mr Suen: Well. I think the judges in their results very clearly stated the reasons for their judgment and I think they have in response to the various points put forward by both sides has come to the conclusion that why they have decided to rule in favour of the Government.

Reporter: So, what's the next step for the Government to do?

Mr Suen: I think the next step is really up to the other side. We just heard that the other side is contemplating the possibility of a further appeal and I think it would not be prudent of us to divulge our next move until we have known what action the other side will take because whatever we say might be prejudicial. (Please refer also to the Chinese portion)

4. Building plans approved in October
Hong Kong Government, 22 November 2004

The Buildings Department approved 17 building plans in October -- three on Hong Kong Island, four in Kowloon and 10 in the New Territories.

Of the approved plans, four were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, four were for commercial developments, two for factory and industrial developments and seven for community services developments.

In the same month, consent was given for work to start on 13 building projects that, when completed, will provide 4,533 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use, involving 73 units, and 44,627 square metres of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of work for 20 building projects.

The department also issued 10 occupation permits -- one on Hong Kong Island, five in Kowloon and four in the New Territories.

Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor areas for domestic uses were 106,640 square metres, involving 1,627 units, and 46,836 square metres for non-domestic use.

The declared cost of the new buildings completed in October totalled about $1.787 billion.

In addition, six demolition consents involving six building structures were issued.

The department received 1,590 complaints against unauthorised building works in October, and issued 1,409 removal orders on unauthorised works.

The full version of the Monthly Digest for October can be viewed by members of the public on the Buildings Department's homepage (http://www.info.gov.hk/bd).