XN000022-1986-10-21 — Page 9

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THE QUEEN AND PRINCE PHILIP THEN TOURED THE EXHIBITION, ENTITLED +SHOWCASE HONG KONG+ AND MISS DUNN PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CLOSELY CONNECTED WITH THE PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE: MR NORMAN THOMPSON, CONSULTANT; MR GEORGE BLANEY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE; DR Y.T. CHENG, CHAIRMAN, NEW WORLD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,

MR HENRY CHENG AND MR PETER CHENG, DIRECTORS OF NEW WORLD; MR DENNIS LAU, DIRECTOR, NG CHUN MAN AND ASSOCIATES: MR K.L. CHAN AND

DR PAUL TONG, DIRECTORS OF POLYTOWN CO. LTD. MR FRASER K. SMITH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, C-FIN PRODUCTS LTD AND MR MARSHALL CORAZZA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DESIGNS, TDC.

THE QUEEN AND PRINCE PHILIP MOUNTED A DAIS WHERE A MODEL OF THE CENTRE WAS EXPLAINED TO THEM BY MISS DUNN, WHO THANKED THEM FOR VIEWING THE EXHIBITION AND INVITED HER MAJESTY TO LAY THE FOUNDATION STONE.

AFTER THE CEREMONY THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE CHATTED WITH GUESTS, BEFORE LEAVING BY CAR FOR HMS TAMAR WHERE THEY REBOARDED HER MAJESTY'S YACHT BRITANNIA, MOORED ALONGSIDE.

THE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE, WHEN COMPLETED IN OCTOBER 1988, WILL BE A FOUR-TOWER COMPLEX COMPRISING 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.

IT WILL ALSO CONTAIN A CONFERENCE HALL WITH SEATING FOR 3000 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 IS BEING BUILT UNDER CONTRACT FROM THE TDC BY NEW WORLD DEVELOPMENT LTD ON A 2.96-HECTARE SITE PROVIDED FREE OF COST BY THE GOVERNMENT.