Kai Tak Sports Park opens to fanfare

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu hailed the opening of the largest sports and cultural venue, Kai Tak Sports Park, on Saturday, calling it a symbol of the city's progress and ambition.

"A century ago, this area was the site of Hong Kong's first successful test flight of a biplane, which ultimately led to the establishment of Kai Tak Airport," Lee said at the ceremony marking the opening of the HK$32-billion ($4.1 billion) facility, referring to the former airport that closed in 1998. "Today, that same location has been turned into Kai Tak Sports Park, creating a new hub for sports, culture and the arts, and propelling the city to new and greater heights again."

The 28-hectare park features the region's largest retractable roof and a versatile lawn system, allowing it to accommodate large-scale events under various weather conditions.

"From today, we believe stars from around the globe will consider performing at Kai Tak Sports Park and making it a hallmark of success, as the venue promises an enthusiastic and international fan base," Lee said.

The grand opening included a one-and-a-half-hour gala at the park's 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium, showcasing performances from local athletes and entertainers. The event was broadcast on four local television channels.

The performances were organized into four segments highlighting the city's role in sports and cultural exchanges. Captivating dance routines, impressive violin solos and powerful vocals from local singers Joey Yung and MC Cheung wowed the audience.

The ceremony also featured an exciting fencing exhibition match between retired Hong Kong epee fencer Vivian Kong Man-wai and local action star Donnie Yen Chitan. National team table tennis champion Fan Zhendong played a fun exhibition match with oversized paddles against local athlete Wong Chun-ting.

A badminton showcase highlighted the skills of retired national team players Lin Dan and Cai Yun, alongside local celebrities. They signed badminton shuttlecocks to be given away as souvenirs, eliciting enthusiastic cheers from the audience.

While officials had previously announced that they were unable to arrange a highly anticipated reunion performance by the "Four Heavenly Kings" — referring to Cantopop stars Andy Lau Tak-wah, Jacky Cheung Hok-yau, Leon Lai Ming and Aaron Kwok Fu-shing — due to scheduling difficulties, Andy Lau made a surprise appearance on stage, reminiscing about his youth spent near the former airport.

More than 33,000 people attended the event, including lawmakers, district councilors, community leaders, SAR government officials, members of the public and mentees from the Strive and Rise Program, a government initiative designed to support young people from less-privileged households.

John Sharkey, chief executive of Kai Tak Sports Park, expressed confidence that the facility will attract more large-scale international events to Hong Kong.

"We plan to leverage the park's state-of-the-art facilities to support the HKSAR government's vision of establishing the city as an international sports hub," Sharkey said.

Li Siyu was among the 8,500 people who snapped up general sale tickets last week. She traveled all the way from Beijing for the event at Kai Tak Stadium.

"It's very spacious, with a broad view, and the atmosphere here is lively," she said.

The 28-year-old described the stadium as vibrant and praised the well-executed performances, highlighting the incredibly smooth transitions. She plans to continue following the sporting and entertainment events at the venue.