Advertisement

Letters | Don’t rush Hong Kong Sevens into new stadium

  • Readers discuss talk of moving the Sevens rugby tournament to Kai Tak Sports Park, and the suggestion that the government take a stake in Cathay Pacific

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Hong Kong’s Salom Yiu Kam-shing interacts with fans after the Melrose Claymore final against Japan on day three of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens on April 7. Photo: Elson Li
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification
Advertisement
Many definitive statements have been made about this being the Sevens rugby tournament’s last year at Hong Kong Stadium, but I would advise caution on the part of the government and the operator of Kai Tak Sports Park, a subsidiary of New World. We don’t yet know whether the new sports park will be ready to host the event next year.

The Sevens is a mega event that attracts attention from around the world. More than just a sporting event, it draws massive parties around the venue and involves large-scale corporate entertainment which brings in business executives from all parts of the world.

I urge the government to hold ample test events varying in scale at the new stadium to ensure all aspects of the stadium can accommodate the Sevens tournament. This prestigious tournament cannot be used as a guinea pig, and there is no shame in using Hong Kong Stadium one more time if necessary. Let’s get it right and show Hong Kong in the best possible light.

Paul Zimmerman, CEO, Designing Hong Kong

Government stake in Cathay might be a stretch

The report, “What are the next steps for Cathay?” (April 11), highlighted the recent difficulties at the airline, such as absent pilots and cancelled flights, and the views of those who feel that these issues could perhaps be ameliorated if the Hong Kong authorities took a stake in the company.
Advertisement