XN000022-1977-09-09 — Page 4

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1977

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MAJOR WORK TO BEGIN ON HUNG HOM INDOOR STADIUM

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WILL BEGIN WORK EARLY NEXT YEAR ON THE SPECTATOR STAND AND INTERIOR OF THE $88 MILLION MULTI- PURPOSE INDOOR STADIUM AT HUNG HOM.

TENDERS FOR THE WORK, WHICH FORMS THE MAIN CONTRACT OF THE PROJECT, WERE INVITED TODAY BY THE P.W.D.'S ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE.

MR. EDWIN WONG, GOVERNMENT ARCHITECT, SAID THE SPECTATOR STAND COULD SEAT ABOUT 12,500 PEOPLE.

+THREE-QUARTERS OF THE SEATS IN THE UPPER SECTIONS OF THE SPECTATOR STAND WILL BE OF REINFORCED MOULDED SHELL. WHILE THOSE IN THE LOWER TIERS AND ON THE RETRACTABLE STANDS WHICH EXTEND ONTO THE ARENA FLOOR WILL BE UPHOLSTERED,+ HE SAID.

IN ADDITION, THERE WOULD BE SPECIAL SECTIONS FOR VIP'S AND THE PRESS.

+SEATING ON THE ARENA FLOOR WOULD BE VARIABLE AND DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS ARE POSSIBLE, DEPENDING ON THE PARTICULAR EVENT,+ MR. WONG SAID.

ALL SEATS ON THE SPECTATOR STAND WOULD BE ARRANGED IN SMOOTH CONTOURS, OFFERING A COMPLETE VIEW OF THE 1,600 SQ. METRE ARENA.

ONE OF THE FEATURES OF THE STADIUM WILL BE A FOUR SIDED VIDEO SCREEN, SUSPENDED ABOVE THE CENTRE OF THE ARENA AND INCORPORATING SCOREBOARD AND CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION FACILITIES.

MR. WONG SAID +WITH SUCH EQUIPMENT, LARGER-THAN-LIFE SIZE CLOSE-UPS AND INSTANT REPLAYS, ALL IN COLOUR, ARE POSSIBLE.+

HE ADDED THAT THE STADIUM, WHICH WOULD BE FULLY AIR-CONDITIONED, WOULD HAVE FACILITIES FOR EVERYTHING FROM GYMNASTICS AND BASKETBALL MATCHES TO THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES AND MAJOR EXHIBITIONS.

THE ARENA ITSELF WOULD BE LARGE ENOUGH FOR TWO BASKETBALL COURTS, VOLLEYBALL COURTS OR TENNIS COURTS, OR FOR EIGHT BADMINTON COURTS OR 24 TABLE-TENNIS TABLES AT ONE TIME.

MEETING ROOMS,

OTHER FACILITIES WOULD INCLUDE CHANGING ROOMS GENERAL OFFICES, A LARGE EQUIPMENT STORE, FURNITURE STORE, CONTROL BOOTHS, BOOKING OFFICES AND TOILETS,

MR. WONG SAID THE STADIUM TO BE BUILT ON THE PODIUM ABOVE THE TRACK OF THE HUNG HOM RAILWAY TERMINUS WOULD BE IN THE SHAPE OF AN INVERTED PYRAMID AND WOULD, IN EFFECT, BE BUILT FROM THE ROOF DOWN.

WORK