The Grand Opening Ceremony of Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) on Saturday (March 1) featured cultural performances, music and entertainment at the magnificent new Kai Tak Stadium with a seating capacity of 50,000, marking the beginning of a new era for Hong Kong as Asia’s events capital.
Speaking at the launch event, John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region hailed the venue as the largest sports, entertainment and mega event complex in Hong Kong’s history.
“The magnificent, multi-purpose Kai Tak Sports Park is a grand stage offering the most enjoyable experience for sports and recreation, entertainment and a whole lot more. Our new home ground will raise every game, on every match!” Mr Lee said. “And you can count on scores of concerts by top singers and bands from home and abroad, here to raise the roof of Kai Tak Stadium.”
Starting with a thunderous drum roll and traditional lion dance, the two-hour show featured performances by top local singers spanning different genres and generations as well as appearances by renowned celebrities and sports stars from Hong Kong and Mainland China.
It was a fitting opening of the 28-hectare KTSP, which will boost sports development and inject impetus into related industries such as recreation, entertainment and tourism, and also the mega-event economy, thereby consolidating Hong Kong’s reputation as an events capital in Asia.
The centrepiece Kai Tak Stadium boasts an eye-catching “Pearl of the Orient” design theme and a seating capacity of 50,000, making it the largest in Hong Kong. It features a customisable pitch system and retractable roof. This makes it an ideal venue for elite sports competitions as well as grand-scale concerts, vibrant music festivals and exciting cultural programmes.
Kai Tak Arena, with a capacity of 10,000 seats, is another versatile state-of-the-art facility designed to host various international tournaments. It is also convertible to accommodate other events such as fencing or snooker. With an adaptable configuration and interchangeable flooring surfaces, the arena can provide seamless transition between top-level sports events and community activities.
The outdoor Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground with 5,000 seats is an excellent venue for football and rugby matches, team and athlete training sessions, and school sports days.
A series of blockbuster events has already been lined up for KTSP. Among them are the World Grand Prix (snooker) and Hong Kong Sevens (rugby) in March and British rock band Coldplay’s world tour in April. KTSP will also be an iconic new destination for Hong Kong’s exciting co-hosting of the 15th National Games with Guangdong and Macao in November. Hong Kong will host a total of eight competition events and one mass participation event of the National Games, with Fencing, Handball (men), Rugby Sevens and the Mass Participation Event of Bowling set to take place at KTSP.
Beyond sports and entertainment, Kai Tak Mall is a retail paradise spanning nearly 700,000 square feet. It entices customers with a unique “sportainment” shopping and leisure experience, offering the most comprehensive collection of professional sports brands and lifestyle products in the city. The Mall also includes a Food Gala with popular eateries and the Dining Cove, a gourmet haven showcasing diverse culinary options from local favourites to international bites, all with stunning views of Victoria Harbour.
“Kai Tak Sports Park is made for you – Hong Kong and the world. Enjoy it all!” said Mr Lee.