FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1977
$25 MILLION SPORTS CENTRE FOR SHA TIN ******
HONG KONG IS TO HAVE A MASSIVE AND NOVEL SPORTS FACILITY WHICH WILL RAISE THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS IN MANY FORMS OF ATHLETICS AND TEAM GAMES.
THIS NEW CONCEPT IN THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF SPORT IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN PLANNED BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB WHO ARE PROVIDING LAND AND FUNDS FOR A SPORTS CENTRE AT THE SITE OF THEIR NEW RACECOURSE IN SHA TIN.
THE PROJECT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND ENCOURAGED BY THE GOVERNMENT WHO WILL MATCH THE JOCKEY CLUB'S FIRST CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ON THE LAND WITH A $25 MILLION CONTRIBUTION TO THE BUILDING OF THE CENTRE. THE JOCKEY CLUB WILL THEN TAKE OVER FULL RESPONSBILITY FOR THE COST OF RUNNING THE CENTRE AND CONTRIBUTE CAPITAL FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT,
ANNOUNCING THE NEW PROJECT TODAY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR. DENIS BRAY, SAID THAT THE AIM OF THE NEW SPORTS CENTRE WAS TO RAISE THE STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE IN SPORTS AND TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN SPORT GENERALLY.
WITH AN AREA OF 41 ACRES THE PROJECT IS THE BIGGEST STEP FORWARD EVER TAKEN IN HONG KONG IN THE PROVISION OF MUCH NEEDED SPORTING FACILITIES.
MR. P.G. WILLIAMS, CHAIRMAN OF THE STEWARDS OF THE JOCKEY CLUB SAID TODAY THAT THE CONCEPT WAS SOMETHING ENTIRELY
NEW TO HONG KONG. IT IS NOT SIMPLY ANOTHER STADIUM FOR BIG MATCHES AND SPECTATOR SPORTS, NOR IS IT SIMPLY ANOTHER PARK FOR GENERAL RECREATION.
+WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED, + SAID MR. WILLIAMS + IS A SPORTING ORGANISATION WITH FACILITIES AND EXPERT STAFF TO DEVELOP THE POTENTIAL OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF HONG KONG IN SPORTS AND ATHLETICS.+
+ IT WILL NOT BE A HOT-HOUSE FOR REARING CHAMPIONS BUT IT WILL GIVE THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THE CHANCE TO RAISE THE IR STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE. IN SOME CASES THIS WILL CERTAINLY MEAN RAISING THEIR STANDARDS TO INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVE LEVELS.+
THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECOGNISED THE SPECIAL NATURE OF THIS PROPOSAL WHICH WAS PUT FORWARD BY THE JOCKEY CLUB IN 1976 AND HAS AGREED THAT IT SHOULD BE OPERATED AS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CLUB.
THE CENTRE WILL BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF A BOARD OF MANAGEMENT INCORPORATED BY ORDINANCE, IT WILL COMPRISE NINE MEMBERS. THEY WILL INCLUDE PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE IN SPORT AND WILL BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR. FOUR OF THE MEMBERS WILL BE APPOINTED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE JOCKEY CLUB.
/MR. BRAY