How Hong Kong's Kai Tak Sports Park is transforming the city into a global entertainment hub

euronews (in English)

In this episode of Spotlight, we explore Hong Kong's ambitious Kai Tak Sports Park, a ground-breaking venue that's helping the city position itself as a new global hub for sports, music and major events.

Transcript

00:00Did you know this vibrant city is a major hub for international events?

00:10I'll be taking a look at a brand new futuristic stadium and what's coming up in this sporting

00:17and music calendar.

00:19Welcome to Hong Kong.

00:24This is Kowloon Bay, just north of Hong Kong Island.

00:28Here in the Kai Tak area of the land where the international airport used to be, a stunning

00:33new sports complex is taking shape, the Kai Tak Sports Park.

00:38It really is one of a kind because you've got on one 28 hectare campus, you have a sports

00:46ground, 5,000 capacity, you've got a 10,000 capacity indoor arena, and then we've got

00:52the 50,000 capacity stadium.

00:55So you don't get that really anywhere else in such a compact environment.

01:00It's gearing up for a grand debut in 2025, playing host to two major international events.

01:06But we'll learn more about them later.

01:09First, let's take a look at the main stadium.

01:12The standout feature is its pearl-like facade, crafted from 27,000 aluminium panels.

01:19The architect has done a brilliant job in being able to melt the facade into the fixed

01:25roof and the movable roof, so that it looks as just a completely seamless building.

01:30The great thing about it is it changes colour to suit the movement of the sun.

01:34The special part about the facade for us though, is in the evening.

01:38We've got LED light diodes in each of the facade's joints, so we can send animation

01:43around the stadium.

01:44Sustainability is at the core of the complex's energy sources.

01:49It has 6,000 square metres of solar panels and natural reservoirs to collect rainwater,

01:55which is then reused.

01:57Kai Tak Sports Park is all set to host some mega events in Hong Kong.

02:01I think it defines Hong Kong's offering to the world.

02:05And I think increasingly, as we bring really brilliant events, both sport and entertainment

02:12events into the stadium, it will redefine what Hong Kong has to offer to the world.

02:20One such event that's causing a buzz is the Coolplay concert in April 2025.

02:25The band will return to Hong Kong after a decade.

02:29Another hotly anticipated date is the Hong Kong Sevens next March.

02:33Rugby is popular among Hongkongers and international fans alike.

02:38It's one of Asia's most popular sporting events.

02:41This tournament draws huge crowds and sees the city abuzz with excitement.

02:46To find out more about why this event is so popular, I decided to ask the professionals.

02:52The female Hong Kong rugby team are preparing for the next competition.

02:57Kai Yang is one of the players.

02:59She plays as Outside Bug, and she's one of Hong Kong's top scorers.

03:05Hong Kong Sevens is quite a special event, like very big, like overseas people come not

03:11just watching rugby, but also they see it as a carnival.

03:16Not just like come to watch the game, but also like see it as a carnival and play and

03:21see friends in Hong Kong.

03:24Next year, the competition will see the team head to the Kai Tak Sports Park to play in

03:29front of 50,000 spectators.

03:32The new stadium is one of the few venues in the world designed specifically for rugby

03:37sevens.

03:38I think as a rugby player, that's an honor to play in that good facility.

03:45I think the crowd is the most exciting part of the game, like if we play in that big stadium,

03:55you know the audience like cheering for the team, for you, that will be very good environment

04:03for us to play in.

04:05After watching the women training from the sidelines, it's time for me to get on the

04:08pitch.

04:11What do I need to learn about rugby?

04:14Try to hold the middle part, then put it next to your shorts, then just like, boy, you can

04:21try.

04:22Just like that?

04:23Yes.

04:24Oh, very nice.

04:25What about if I want to kick the ball?

04:26Drop the ball and kick, quite nice.

04:31Along with the sevens and the co-play concert, the Kai Tak Stadium will also host key sports

04:37competitions during China's 15 national games in 2025.

04:42The games are the highest level multi-sport competition in China, and for the first time

04:47ever, they will be co-hosted by Hong Kong and Macau.

04:50This metropolis is positioning itself as the ultimate hub for mega events.

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