Hong Kong’s Allan Zeman strikes deal with mainland Chinese developer in renewed bid to expand nightlife empire across border
- Zeman’s Lan Kwai Fong Group and Haiya Group sign deal to expand nightlife business to Zhongshan, with both touting venture as offering ‘world-class entertainment’
- Renewed bid follows unsuccessful attempt by tycoon to expand operations to Sichuan province’s Chengdu in 2010
Hong Kong’s “Father of Lan Kwai Fong” Allan Zeman has struck a deal with a mainland Chinese developer in a revived bid to bring his iconic nightlife district to cities across the border amid a greater focus on national integration.
The nightlife tycoon will first expand his operations to Zhongshan, before heading to Shenzhen and other mainland cities, according to an agreement he reached on Wednesday with Haiya Group, a multifaceted conglomerate with a business portfolio ranging from real estate to eco-tourism.
Speaking to the Post on Thursday, the Canadian-turned-Chinese businessman also said mainland officials had visited his nightlife district, Lan Kwai Fong, over the past two weeks, including some from Sanya, Hainan, a tourism-focused city known for its beaches.
Located at the heart of Hong Kong’s central business district, Lan Kwai Fong has grown from a couple of basement bars in the late 1970s to a nightlife and dining cluster popular with locals and tourists alike. Zeman is the area’s biggest landlord.
“I think they really want to bring a lot of brands and entertainment to China,” he said.
He added that the project in Zhongshan would open by the end of the year and feature a 520,000-square-metre zone lined with restaurants, clubs and shopping areas.
In 2010, Zeman attempted to introduce his blueprint for Hong Kong’s popular nightlife district to Sichuan province’s Chengdu, where the idea failed to make significant headway.
The nightlife magnate on Thursday said he was confident of the new project’s success as mainland tourists had become more “worldly” due to their frequent travel over the past decades.
