Attracting “mega events” to boost Hong Kong’s economy is akin to chasing “good” women, Chief Executive John Lee has said.
In an interview with local newspaper Sing Tao published on Wednesday, Lee responded to questions about the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park next year. The venue has been touted by the government as a “state-of-the-art multipurpose sports complex,” featuring a main stadium that can seat 50,000 people.
Lee said the government had tried to attract overseas performers to the venue, but that the administration faced competition.
“It’s like how I used to chase girls. For the good ones, of course everybody will chase them, [we] must… work hard and fight,” he said in Cantonese.
He added that he could not openly discuss the process of attracting mega events to Hong Kong.
“We will do our best to tell them how we can assist them, what benefit it can bring, that we will strive to provide what they want,” he said. “[We] may not publicise this process, but we will definitely do it.”
Amid a slow recovery since removing Covid-related curbs, Hong Kong has been on a campaign to hold large-scale events to attract tourists and boost the economy. Authorities have set up a designated fund to sponsor organisers planning to hold events in the city.
Around HK$192 million has been approved since 2023, the government said. Among the supported projects were recurring events such as Art Basel and Art Central, as well as new events including the Chubby Hearts installation, which saw giant floating balloons placed across Hong Kong as photo spots and received HK$7.8 million in funding.
In January, lawmaker Regina Ip called on the government to lure international music acts such as Taylor Swift and Beyonce to Hong Kong, citing the economic boost their concerts could bring. Her comments came ahead of Swift holding six concerts in Singapore.
A tourism boom in the city-state was linked to Swift’s concerts, with fans across Asia flying in to catch the artist. Hotels saw an increase in bookings over Swift’s concert dates, media reported, while travel searches for Singapore also spiked when ticket sales opened.
In the interview, Lee said the Kai Tak Sports Park was the future “shining symbol” of Hong Kong’s mega event economy. The government aimed to attract influential performers to the venue, he added.
According to the park’s website, the venue boasts a main stadium, an indoor sports centre, public sports ground and eight hectares of open space, in addition to restuarants and other facilities.
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