PRESS
RELEASE
Royal Visit.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1986
QUEEN TO LAY EXHIBITION CENTRE FOUNDATION STONE
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ON THE FIRST DAY OF HER VISIT TO HONG KONG THE QUEEN WILL LAY THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE $1.8 BILLION HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE ON THE WAN CHAI RECLAMATION. WHEN COMPLETED IN OCTOBER 1988 THE COMPLEX WILL CONTAIN EXHIBITION HALLS, HOTELS, AND OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION.
AT PRESENT THE HARBOUR ROAD SITE IS A LARGE HOLE IN THE GROUND, WITH AN ARMY OF WORKMEN SWARMING ABOUT IT. FOR THE FOUNDATION STONE CEREMONY, THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL WILL PREPARE A SPECIAL AREA NEXT TO THE SITE COVERED BY INFLATABLE DOMES.
THE QUEEN AND PRINCE PHILIP WILL ARRIVE AT THE SITE ACCOMPANIED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, AND LADY YOUDE. THEY WILL BE RECEIVED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, MISS LYDIA DUNN, WHO WILL PRESENT TO THEM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TDC, MR SO CHAK-KWONG, AND LEADING FIGURES IN HONG KONG'S COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.
HER MAJESTY AND HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS WILL SEE AN EXHIBITION PRESENTED BY THE TDC AND MISS DUNN WILL PRESENT TO THEM A NUMBER OF PEOPLE CLOSELY CONNECTED WITH THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE CENTRE.
THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE WILL BE SHOWN A MODEL OF THE PROPOSED CENTRE BEFORE HER MAJESTY LAYS THE FOUNDATION STONE.
THE COMPLETION OF THE CENTRE WILL MEAN THE REALISATION OF A 30-YEAR-OLD DREAM FOR LOCAL BUSINESSMEN AND GOVERNMENT TRADE OFFICIALS.
THE FOUR-TOWER COMPLEX WILL COMPRISE TWO EXHIBITION HALLS. EACH WITH 9 100 SQUARE METRES OF FLOOR SPACE, TWO HOTELS, ONE WITH 960 ROOMS, THE OTHER WITH 750 ROOMS, A 33-STOREY OFFICE-TRADE MART TOWER AND A BLOCK OF 970 SERVICED APARTMENTS.
IN ADDITION THERE WILL BE A CONFERENCE HALL CAPABLE OF SEATING 3 000 PEOPLE, TWO AUDITORIA, WITH SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION FACILITIES FOR UP TO EIGHT LANGUAGES. MEETING ROOMS AND MATERIAL HANDLING FACILITIES CAPABLE OF TAKING FULLY-LOADED CONTAINER TRUCKS UP TO THE EXHIBITION LEVELS.
THE CENTRE