XN000022-1980-11-28 — Page 6

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1980

EXHIBITION CENTRE TO BE COSTED

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A TEAM OF CONSULTANTS WILL BE APPOINTED EARLY NEXT YEAR TO STUDY THE COST OF BUILDING A PERMANENT EXHIBITION CENTRE IN TSIM SHA TSUI.

THE FIRST STAGE OF THE CONSULTANCY APPOINTED TO LOOK INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF AN EXHIBITION CENTRE FOR HONG KONG CONCLUDED THERE WAS A DEMAND EXISTING AND POTENTIAL FOR SUCH A FACILITY, AND THAT HONG KONG COULD SUPPORT A PROGRAMME OF EXHIBITIONS REQUIRING ABOUT 15 000 SQUARE METRES OF PURPOSE-BUILT HALLS.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE CONSULTANTS, IN PREPARING THEIR CASE FOR AN EXHIBITION CENTRE, HAD DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS, HOTEL AND TOURISM ORGANISATIONS, GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, COMMERCIAL USERS AND FOREIGN EXHIBITION ORGANISERS.

THEY ALSO DREW ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE VIABILITY AND USAGE OF SIMILAR FACILITIES ELSEWHERE.

THE CONSULTANTS IDENTIFIED A SITE AT HING CHEUNG ROAD DIVIDED BY CHING YEE ROAD AS THE MOST APPROPRIATE VENUE, SAID THE SPOKESMAN.

+WE MUST NOW GET ACCURATE AND DETAILED COSTINGS FOR THE FULL POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHAT THE OVERALL FINANCIAL POSITION IS LIKELY TO BE,+ HE SAID.

THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE STAGE TWO CONSULTANCY WILL BE 1

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TO DRAW UP A DETAILED BRIEF AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR A MULTI-STOREY DEVELOPMENT TO INCLUDE AN EXHIBITION CENTRE OF ABOUT 15 000 SQUARE METRES GROSS AND ANCILLARY FACILITIES, AND MAXIMUM APPROPRIATE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT ON THE SITE.

ON THE BASIS OF A LAND VALUATION PROVIDED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, TO PREPARE ESTIMATES OF CAPITAL COST IN RESPECT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND OF OPERATING COSTS OF THE EXHIBITION CENTRE COMPLEX, TOGETHER WITH ESTIMATES OF REVENUE FROM BOTH THE SALE OF THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND FROM THE USE OF THE EXHIBITION CENTRE AND ANCILLARY FACILITIES.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A NON-STATUTORY BOARD TO OVERSEE THE WORK OF THE CONSULTANTS AND TO ADVISE WHETHER AN EXHIBITION CENTRE SHOULD BE BUILT IN HONG KONG AND IF SO HOW THIS COULD BE ACHIEVED AND THE FORM OF MANAGEMENT.

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