XN000022-1980-02-20 — Page 4

3

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1980

-

INDOOR STADIUM A STEP NEARER COMPLETION

*****

THE SPECTATOR STAND OF THE NEW HUNG HOM INDOOR STADIUM IS NOW TAKING SHAPE.

MR PAU SHIU-HUNG SENIOR ARCHITECT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SAID MORE THAN 30 PER CENT OF THE WORK ON THE STAND HAD BEEN COMPLETED.

+ON ITS FULL COMPLETION AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THE 10 000 SQUARE-METRE STEEL-FRAMED ROOF WILL BE LOWERED ONTO ITS CONCRETE RIM.

IN

+THEN, CONTRACTORS WILL PROCEED WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE AIR-CONDITIONING PLANT, SOUND SYSTEM AND SPORTS FACILITIES. ADDITION, 12 500 SEATS WILL BE FITTED, HE SAID.

MR PAU EXPECTED THAT THE $100 MILLION SPORTS STADIUM WOULD BE COMPLETED LATE NEXT YEAR.

SUSPENDED

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

*WITH SUCH EQUIPMENT, LARGER-THAN-LIFE CLOSE-UPS AND INSTANT REPLAYS, ALL IN COLOUR, WILL BE POSSIBLE, HE SAID.

+ THE STADIUM WILL HAVE FACILITIES FOR STAGING EVENTS RANGING FROM GYMNASTICS AND BASKETBALL MATCHES TO THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES AND MAJOR EXHIBITIONS. FOR THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVENT, DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS OF SEATING ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE.

THE ARENA ITSELF WILL 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.

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

RACE DAY TRAINS CANCELLED ******

THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY WILL NOT BE RUNNING SPECIAL RACE DAY TRAINS TO SHA TIN THIS SATURDAY (FEBRUARY 23), A KCR SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY.

THIS IS BECAUSE THAT DAY COINCIDES WITH THE HEAVIEST PERIOD OF THE RETURNING LUNAR NEW YEAR PASSENGER TRAFFIC TO HONG KONG, HE EXPLAINED.

ON THE SAME DAY IN THE LAST LUNAR NEW YEAR, SOME 32 000 PASSENGERS CAME BACK FROM CHINA, IN VIEW OF THE VERY SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN NEW YEAR VISITS TO CHINA THIS YEAR, THE RETURN TRAFFIC WILL CLEARLY BE EVEN HEAVIER.

KCR RESOURCES WILL BE FULLY STRETCHED TO MEET THIS RETURN TRAFFIC AS WELL AS THE REQUIREMENTS OF REGULAR COMMUTERS.

14.