Luo Shupei: Considering slight adjustments to the Kai Tak Sports Park performance indicators

The Director of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Romy Lau, said on a television program that the performance indicators for the Kai Tak Sports Park were set several years ago and have now been in operation for one year; the relevant standards or calculation methods may need to be adjusted slightly.

Lau said that at present, only the day of the competition is counted as hosting a sports event, while pre-competition preparations such as changing the grass are not included, which may not reflect the actual situation; although the sports park puts sports first, it is also very important for driving Hong Kong’s overall economy and creating jobs, especially for the main stadium. In the first nine months after the opening, the main stadium’s attendance was nearly 2 million person-times, and revenue reached 200 million yuan; economic benefits should not be considered as if they do not exist.

She mentioned that attendance at the Basel Art Fair held in Hong Kong exceeded 91k, which brings economic benefits to Hong Kong’s tourism, arts and culture, and even commercial transactions. It is important that the authorities have reached an agreement with the Basel Art Fair to deepen the cooperative relationship over the next five years, and the fair and related activities can generate many job opportunities.

Regarding the “soft confrontation” among the arts community, Lau said that when it comes to national security, the country needs to stay vigilant at all times, but there is no need to worry that there is not enough room for creativity or whether it is easy to step on landmines. If one has a sufficiently deep understanding of national security, there is no need to be overly concerned. Hong Kong’s creative soil is still fertile, and at the same time, everyone must comply with the law.