XN000022-1991-12-05 — Page 18

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1991

MR SO INFORMED THE OMELCO PANEL THAT DUE TO VARIOUS REASONS, INCLUDING SITE CONSTRAINT AND CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING PROBLEMS, IT WOULD NOT BE VIABLE TO PROVIDE A RUNNING TRACK AT THE AND AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDE FOR AN AUDIENCE CAPACITY OF 40,000.

NEW STADIUM

HE FULLY SYMPATHISED WITH THE CONCERN OF SCHOOLS BUT POINTED OUT THAT THE SCHOOLS' REQUIREMENTS COULD BE MET BY USING OTHER EXISTING VENUES AND BY THE JOCKEY CLUB'S OFFER TO UPGRADE AN EXISTING URBAN COUNCIL SPORTSGROUND, SUCH AS THE ABERDEEN SPORTSGROUND TO PROVIDE FOR MORE SEATING CAPACITY.

USAGE FIGURES,

HE FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT, BASED ON EXISTING OUT OF THE 80 BOOKINGS AT THE HONG KONG STADIUM MADE BY SCHOOLS AT PRESENT, ONLY 10 REQUIRED A SEATING CAPACITY IN EXCESS OF 1,000.

"THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS WILL ENABLE HONG KONG STADIUM OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARD TO CATER TO THE NEEDS WHICH HAVE A MASS SPECTATOR APPEAL AS WELL AS AN UPGRADED SCHOOL USE. THIS SHOULD BE IN THE INTEREST OF THE SPORTING AND THE SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG," MR SO SAID.

то HAVE A OF SPORTS VENUE FOR FRATERNITY

"I PERSONALLY WELCOME THIS MOVE AS IT IS CERTAINLY IN THE BEST INTEREST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPORTS IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

ON THE FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF THE NEW STADIUM, MR 50 INFORMED THE OMELCO PANEL THAT NO FIRM DECISION HAD BEEN MADE AND THAT HE WAS PREPARED TO DISCUSS OPTIONS WITH THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

HE SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NEW STADIUM BEING MANAGED ON A SELF-FINANCING BASIS, SO THAT THE COST OF MANAGING THIS NEW FACILITY WOULD NOT HAVE TO FALL ON THE TAXPAYER.

OF THE

"IT IS HOPED THAT A FORMULA FOR THE FUTURE MANAGEMENT NEW STADIUM CAN BE WORKED OUT WITH THE URBAN COUNCIL THAT WILL ENABLE THE STADIUM TO BE MANAGED ON A COMMERCIAL BASIS." HE SAID.

HE AGREED TO KEEP THE OMELCO PANEL INFORMED OF PROGRESS OF HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE JOCKEY CLUB.

то

IN ADDITION, THE RECREATION AND CULTURE BRANCH WOULD CONTINUE

SCHOOLS

AND TO MAINTAIN A DIALOGUE WITH THE

SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS WORK OUT AN ARRANGEMENT WHICH WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE SPORTING AND ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES OF SCHOOLS.

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