West Kowloon Cultural District (西九文化區)

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Ambitious arts project gets down to business
8 September 2003
South China Morning Post

The $24 billion plan to transform an expensive piece of reclaimed land in West Kowloon into a vibrant entertainment complex complete with museums, concert halls, exhibition centres and theatres - all under the world's biggest roof designed by Sir Norman Foster - is nothing if not ambitious. But perhaps the most ambitious part of the project was revealed by Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang Yam-kuen last Friday: it is to be funded, constructed, and managed entirely by the private sector.

By taking a back seat and giving private enterprise the responsibility for establishing the Western Kowloon Cultural District, officials are sticking to their "small government" philosophy. This involves retreating from the market and encouraging entrepreneurs to step in and provide services traditionally paid for out of public funds. The approach is an admirable one, especially at a time when we need to cut costs in order to help tackle the spiralling fiscal deficit.

The challenge will lie in successfully adapting this principle to the arts world, where special considerations apply. Our developers are well used to establishing hotels, shopping malls and housing estates. However, building not just one but a number of world-class museums and filling them with unrivalled collections of pan-Asian treasures is not a normal part of their activities. Nor is the staging of pop concerts, classic operas or Shakespearean plays, or bringing hit Broadway shows to Hong Kong.

The arts are not known for their money-spinning potential. Many projects have great cultural value, yet make losses. Without government subsidies, most of Hong Kong's existing performance venues would be unable to survive on meagre corporate sponsorship and fees from concert audiences and museum-goers.

Yet, turning Hong Kong into a vibrant hub for culture, arts and entertainment in the region need not be an impossible dream. High-brow critics may regard Hong Kong as a cultural desert, but the city can rightly take pride in being the Canto-pop and film production capital of the Chinese-speaking world. Our middle class may have been temporarily traumatised by six years of deflation, but its appreciation of the arts is growing by the day.

Already, tourists from the mainland, Taiwan and Southeast Asia are drawn to Hong Kong by concerts put on by stars such as Anita Mui and Andy Lau. With growing wealth and relaxed travel restrictions, more and more mainlanders will be able to afford such travel. A larger audience pool and bigger venues at the new cultural complex in West Kowloon should mean better economies of scale - and higher profits - for promoters as well as venue owners. Promoters who want to bring big shows from overseas but have so far been constrained by a lack of suitable premises should also find it easier to make such projects viable. Whether the shows target a niche audience or the masses, they should all benefit from the bigger and better-equipped facilities to be built at West Kowloon.

The key to making the new cultural complex pay for itself lies in striking a balance between staging lucrative events that will pull in the crowds and offering a diverse range of attractions. That will depend on the forming of a close and effective working relationship between private enterprise, the arts community and the public.

Corporate sponsorship will have a vital role to play. Unfortunately, Hong Kong has a poor record in this regard. We need our own equivalent of the Guggenheims and the Rockefellers to help blaze a trail. Hopefully, the chance to turn the West Kowloon site into Asia's leading cultural and entertainment hub will prove to be the catalyst we need.

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Watchdog sought to keep eye on cultural hub project
Chloe Lai
19 September 2003
South China Morning Post

A watchdog group consisting of members of the cultural community, architects and management experts is needed to monitor the planned multi-billion-dollar West Kowloon cultural hub, according to a senior government adviser.

The chairman of the Land and Building Advisory Committee, Yeung Yue-man, said members agreed it would be essential to have a quasi-governmental authority composed of such experts to keep an eye on the massive project.

Under a radical plan, the project will be funded and managed by a single consortium or company.

There have been concerns about the amount of power being granted to the firm that wins the tender to transform West Kowloon into a cultural hub.

The massive project, under a 30-hectare roof designed by Lord Norman Foster as its centrepiece, will be offered as a single commercial proposition; the winning bidder will have management rights for 30 years.

"The idea of turning West Kowloon into a world-class cultural and artistic hub is very good ... but it is crucial that the whole idea can be implemented smoothly, so we need an authority to do the monitoring work," Professor Yeung said.

He said the authority should have power and credibility so it would have the community's respect.

Chris Law, convenor of the Urban Regeneration Task Force, said there must be an independent body to monitor the West Kowloon development.

"Every university has a board to monitor its operation. The same logic should apply to the West Kowloon development work," he said.

Professor Yeung said the authority should be permanent.

"Take a look at other harbour development projects in the rest of the world, there must be an authority to monitor their work. There is one in Sydney and one in Vancouver," he said.

The chairman also said some members of the committee did not agree with the government's decision to make the development a single commercial proposition.

"Some members questioned the feasibility of treating the 40-hectare site as a single proposition. They think it would be more feasible to break down the whole project into several smaller works," Professor Yeung said.

[hyacinthus]

those articles are dated 2003. Aren't they old?

[scorpion]

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^ I'm reconstructing the West Kowloon thread after it was deleted from the main forum. I'll post the articles chronologically.

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Culture clash looms for West Kowloon
Chloe Lai
24 September 2003
South China Morning Post

Culture clash looms for West Kowloon An alliance of arts and planning experts says the project is at risk of producing a 'developer's colony', not a cultural hub.

A battle is looming over the proposed West Kowloon "cultural hub" as architects, planners, artists and academics band together against the government's game plan for the project.

They warned that the idea of granting a single consortium the right to run the 40-hectare site for 30 years was equivalent to ceding West Kowloon to a developer and turning an area the size of a new town into a "developer's colony".

One architectural expert said the government's guidelines left open the possibility that up to 7,600 flats could be built on the site - more the 10 times the official goal.

The People's Council on Sustainable Development, an alliance of 40-plus non-governmental organisations, professionals and social activists, recently met to discuss the campaign's strategy.

Albert Lai Kwong-tak, chairman of the council, said: "The people are being forced to give up our right to administer West Kowloon. In the future, it will be up to the property developer (hellip) to decide who can be a resident."

The alliance called on the government to suspend the project temporarily and come up with a new game plan, which would allow public participation and best protect the interests of the people.

A forum on the project is being prepared to better inform the public about the issue. The groups are trying to raise the issue with the semi-official Council for Sustainable Development.

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen unveiled the plans early this month aimed at creating a world-class arts and cultural hub. Due for completion in 2012, the project will include theatres, museums, commercial and residential properties.

The chief secretary stressed the best development option was to have the private sector fund the entire project in return for the right to operate West Kowloon for 30 years.

But Mr Lai - who coined the term "developer's colony" for the possible outcome of the project - questioned how much bargaining power the government would have after granting the project to one consortium.

He said upsetting the developer might jeopardise the whole project.

For the best interests of Hong Kong, the project should be broken down into smaller works, Mr Lai said.

The Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) criticised the current arrangement as full of flaws and a violation of the land administration policy.

Bernard Lim Wan-fung, the HKIA's board of local affairs chairman, said every construction in Hong Kong is subject to the Building Covenant, which required developers to sell their developments within a set period of time, usually three to five years. "The developer (would be able) to bypass the law because, with the right to run a piece of land for 30 years, it can sell its development at whatever time it prefers, leaving it the ability to manipulate supply," he said.

Mr Lim questioned Mr Tsang's proposition that only 500 to 600 residential units would be built within the cultural district, claiming the 1.81 plot ratio could result in 7,600 units.

Legislator Emily Lau Wai-hing said she had requested a meeting of Legco's home affairs panel and the planning, lands and works panel so concerns could be voiced.

Ng Mee-kam, an associate professor on urban planning and environmental management at the University of Hong Kong, said the government had hijacked West Kowloon and "handed it to a developer" and would seal all information about the project "in the name of commercial interests".

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HK aims to become the region's hub for culture
Ravina Shamdasani
30 September 2003
South China Morning Post

It is forging agreements with its Asian neighbours and Egypt to boost its image Hong Kong is looking to develop its international image through the signing of cultural co-operation agreements with neighbouring countries and Egypt.

The Home Affairs Bureau is developing memoranda of understanding with Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and Egypt after signing an agreement with the Philippines in February.

Hong Kong yesterday hosted the first Asian cultural co-operation forum in an effort to promote the city as a regional culture hub.

Assistant Secretary for Home Affairs Fong Ngai said: "A memorandum of understanding is basically a formal agreement on cultural co-operation that will bring such co-operation to government level.

"Through that, we can strengthen and put an emphasis on two-way cultural exchanges and explore a higher level of co-operation."

Delegates from Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation countries, including Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and the mainland, flew to Hong Kong for the forum.

Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho Chi-ping told dignitaries at the conference that Hong Kong would always be open as a cultural hub for Asia and the rest of the world.

"In the wake of globalisation and a knowledge-based economy, culture and creativity is increasingly seen as an engine for growth and civic pride," Dr Ho said.

"The message is clear enough: the creative business is a global business with local flavours. And by global, we mean we should first start with the good neighbours at our doorstep. As a hub of Asia ... the door of Hong Kong is always wide open."

Singaporean National Arts Council chairman Liu Thai Ker said that the cultural and artistic achievements of the city state and the region showed that Asian culture could stand up well against the trend of globalisation.

Chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in the Philippines, Evelyn Pantig, shared her country's experiences in providing opportunities to underprivileged children through dance training. She emphasised the importance of nurturing young talent.

The founder of the City Contemporary Dance Company, Willy Tsao, told how he started the group by pooling together money and friends to build a rooftop studio to try to fill a performing arts vacuum in Hong Kong in the late 1970s.

A promotional video with an artist's impression of the planned West Kowloon cultural district was played at the conference, which organisers hope will become a regular event.

Mr Fong said that such conferences provided a good platform to explore initiatives between neighbouring governments and economies.

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Developers split over cultural job
7 October 2003
Hong Kong Standard

An attempt by the Real Estate Developers Association (Reda) to convince the government to allow more than one developer to take part in the HK$24 billion West Kowloon cultural district project has been halted after objections from a major developer.

While small to mid-size developers at a recent Reda meeting supported the idea of writing to the government, one large developer, which was not present at the meeting, later voiced its objection to the move.

Leading developer Cheung Kong (Holdings) was among those in support of a letter, sources said, which was to have urged the administration not to grant rights to only one firm that would be responsible for financing, managing and operation of the project.

In announcing invitations for proposals for the West Kowloon development last month, Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang said only one developer would be granted control to "ensure its concept would be consistent".

It is understood Reda will hold more talks on whether to submit a letter to the government.

This is the first time the government has invited the private sector to run a cultural development project. The project will cover 40 hectares at the West Kowloon reclamation site, bounded by Canton Road, Austin Road West, the Western Harbour Tunnel and Victoria Harbour. Tsang expects the project to create 6,000 jobs.

The development includes three theatre complexes, a concert venue, four museums, a water amphitheatre and at least four piazza areas.

The government aims to turn West Kowloon into one of the world's leading artistic and cultural centres - with the developer footing the bill.

The chosen developer would be given a land grant of 50 years.

Tsang believed the developer could generate profits from operating shopping complexes, residential flats, hotels and offices.

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Small firms want slice of West Kowloon
Peggy Sito
7 October 2003
South China Morning Post

The project should be split into several tenders, not offered as a whole, they say Small property developers are opposing to the government's plans to grant the $24 billion West Kowloon redevelopment to a single consortium rather than splitting it between individual tenders.

The developers said the government's proposal to grant the development rights to the mammoth project to a single group favoured bigger developers. Under the plan, the consortium will be granted rights to develop 40 hectares of West Kowloon for 30 years.

The chairman of small developer K Wah International, Lui Chi-wo, said: "There are only one or two big property players in Hong Kong who are financially capable of bidding such a huge project. It seems that leading developers will monopolise the development.

"Why not allow both big and small developers to participate? The government should take care of everyone's benefits."

Mr Lui said the redevelopment project should be split into six or seven packages of different sizes, with developers free to bid on all of them.

The massive project, which will have a 30-hectare roof designed by acclaimed architect Lord Norman Foster as its centrepiece, is aimed at turning Hong Kong into the region's cultural and artistic hub, featuring a three-theatre complex, 10,000-seat performance venue, four museums and an art exhibition centre.

The Chinese press has reported that members of the Real Estate Developers' Association were divided on whether the government should offer the project as a single commercial proposition. Smaller players proposed to urge the government to split the projects into several packages while leading developers reportedly supported the consortium plan.

Major developers Sun Hung Kai Properties and Cheung Kong (Holdings) were unavailable for comment yesterday.

Herman Fung Man-hei, managing director of small developer Hon Kwok Land & Investment yesterday said medium and small players hoped the development would be split into several pieces.

"I reckon it may not be a good idea to grant the whole project to one developer or consortium," said Mr Fung.

He said so long that the government closely monitored the master plan, the project's theme would not suffer, even if the site was built in different phases by a number of companies.

Karen Li, director of corporate development of Wing Tai Asia, said the company, as a member of developer's association, did not have a strong view on how the government should grant the project for private development.

But she said the government must take into account several factors before it made its decision.

"For example, will the entire project be completed on schedule when it is granted to one developer or consortium? Or, if it is developed by several different companies, how will (officials) ensure there will not be any conflicts on the cultural theme?" she asked.

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Single firm for Kowloon mega project
Eli Lau
8 October 2003
Hong Kong Standard

The government will stick to a plan to have only one party develop the HK$24 billion West Kowloon cultural district project.

"We want to ensure that the development will be consistent from its concept to operation," Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau Deputy Secretary Thomas Tso said yesterday. "It's not a development project that simply gives every developer a chance to generate profit."

Tso's comment came after the Real Estate Developers' Association (Reda) had attempted to convince the government to open up the project to small developers as well.

He said it would be time consuming and costly to allow various developers to take part in the mega project.

However, he said small developers would have opportunities, because in Hong Kong, "none of the developers can be solely responsible for such huge projects, but they can join hands with other organisations and professionals to accomplish it".

He added: "We will be glad to see their co-operation."

Under the government's plan, one party will be chosen to be solely responsible for the financing, managing and operation of the project.

The successful company would be given a land grant of 50 years.

"Conflicts will possibly be triggered if too many developers are involved in the construction and management," Territory Development Department project manager Kwan Pak-lam said.

"It's difficult to judge who should be accountable when mistakes occur."

Cheung Kong (Holdings) executive director Justin Chiu said on Monday the project should not be broken into segments and developed by different parties.

This is the first time the government has invited the private sector to run a cultural development project.

The project will cover 40 hectares at the West Kowloon reclamation site, bounded by Canton Road, Austin Road West, the Western Harbour Tunnel and Victoria Harbour.

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Culture centre envisaged as 'Opera House of East'
Glenda Korporaal
17 October 2003
The Australian

HONG Kong will have a $5 billion waterfront Norman Foster-designed arts and cultural centre as part of its push to become the premier arts centre of Asia.

The centre, to be built on a 40-hectare area of reclaimed land along the harbour on west Kowloon, is planned to become a Sydney Opera House-style landmark for the city.

With a modern, flowing canopy roof design, the centre will contain one 10,000-seat performance venue, three theatres, four museums, an art exhibition centre, a water amphitheatre and at least four piazza areas.

Hong Kong hopes the new centre, which will not be completed until 2010, will become a "cultural icon" that will attract performers from all over the world.

Last month Hong Kong Chief Secretary Donald Tsang called for proposals for the development, which will be built and operated by the private sector.

"We want Hong Kong to be the most vibrant hub for culture, arts and entertainment in the region," Tsang says.

He says the state-of-the-art facilities will "provide residents and visitors with a wide range of cultural and leisure pursuits".

"Our local artists will also have a creative hive in which to further develop their talent," he says.

Tsang made it clear the Government wants the facilities to be "architecturally distinguished".

British architect Foster won the award for the scheme's basic concept last year with a space-age flowing canopy design.

Proposals for the development must be in by March next year, with construction set to start in April, 2006.

Hong Kong Arts Festival executive director Douglas Gautier says the centre has the potential to become a cultural focus for the city along the lines of the Sydney Opera House, the Melbourne Arts Centre or the Barbican Centre in London.

He says it is inevitable that such mega-arts projects will attract some controversy.

"But at the end of the day they do focus the public, the arts community and the business community," Gautier says.

"They provide a focal point and almost an inspirational point for the national companies which perform there."

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Legco to rule on West Kowloon deal
Chloe Lai
17 October 2003
South China Morning Post

Donald Tsang also says the ICAC will be involved in the tendering process to calm fears surrounding the huge project Legco's approval will be sought before the contract for the massive West Kowloon redevelopment is awarded, the chief secretary said yesterday.

He was trying to calm fears about the amount of power that would be put into the hands of the project's sole developer.

In a move to further calm fears, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said the ICAC would be invited to join the committee choosing the consortium responsible for the $24 billion West Kowloon Cultural District project. The project, designed by renowned architect Lord Foster, will feature the world's largest roof.

Mr Tsang announced last month that the contract to build a world-class cultural hub would be granted to a single consortium for 30 years. But the proposal has faced strong opposition from architects, planners, artists and academics saying that the area would be turned into a "developer's colony".

Some small-scale developers also objected, saying they would lose the chance to bid.

Mr Tsang said he met representatives of the Real Estate Developers' Association yesterday and told them it would be against the public interest to split up the project.

Approval in granting the contract for such a project would normally be left to the Executive Council alone, but Mr Tsang said that Legco would first have to approve the West Kowloon deal.

He said the one-developer arrangement was the best option as the government was now facing a huge deficit and required the business sector's support to carry out the expensive project.

"Because of the budget deficit, the traditional approach to building such a large-scale project (to be done alone by the government) is not going to work," he said.

Mr Tsang said the selection process had to be fair and transparent. He said no government minister would be involved in the selection process, to prevent the interference of political considerations. The process would be guided by a permanent secretary, together with a number of senior civil servants with different areas of expertise, and officers from the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Mr Tsang said the government would reveal information about the business proposals received for the project - except for confidential data - and stressed that no favouritism would be shown to big developers.

He said the developers' association had made a counter-proposal for the government to be responsible for the infrastructure on the sites, allowing developers to bid for the residential and commercial parts.

But Mr Tsang said it was not acceptable for "the business sector (to run) the money-making part of the project (leaving) the money-losing part to the government".

He said the continuous nature of the design, stretching for more than 1.5km, made it suitable for a single consortium.

But Hong Kong Institute of Architects spokesman Bernard Lim Wan-fung questioned to Mr Tsang's comments: "Having a selection committee composed of senior civil servants can't resolve the problem. The mechanism set up for this project is still full of flaws."

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ICAC may take part in West Kowloon tender
17 October 2003
Hong Kong Standard

The government will invite the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to participate in the tendering process for the HK$24 billion West Kowloon cultural district project.

Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang also promised to submit the master plan to the Legislative Council for approval before taking it to the Executive Council.

"To ensure the decision will be free of political influence, no accountability official will take part in the judging process," Tsang said.

The pledge came on the eve of the deadline for expressions of interest by developers who want to bid for the contract. But the government stood firm on plans to have only one consortium develop the 40-hectare site despite calls to open the project to small developers.

Tsang held a meeting with members of the Real Estate Developers Association yesterday and made it clear to them that the government would not budge on that demand.

"We are doing it for the overall interest of Hong Kong, not for the interests of developers," Tsang said.

He refused to be drawn on what the association's response was, adding: "We don't need their endorsement. This is public interest."

Tsang stressed the objective of the project was to turn the West Kowloon reclamation site into world class culture facilities. The government budget was tight, therefore it was best to leave it to private developers, he said.

Awarding the contract to one developer would ensure continuity and the development would be consistent from its concept to completion, he said. "What is most important is that we will ensure the whole process will be an open and transparent one.

"The team of judges will comprise senior civil servants headed by a permanent secretary. But no politically appointed official will sit on the panel. We want it to be a professional decision, not one which has any political element.

"The government will invite the ICAC to participate and will get Legco's endorsement before it goes to Exco."

Tsang also shot down arguments that it was unfair that a single developer would reap all the benefits of the project.

"This is not a property project," Tsang stressed. "We are not benefiting any developer. The most important thing is we are dealing with the matter in a fair manner.

"Certain developers have proposed that the government should take care of infrastructure facilities, leaving the rest for private development.

"If we do that, we are acting in the developers' interest, not the public's."

Developers who are interested in the project have until today to express their intent to the government.

Under the plan, the successful bidder would be given a land grant of 50 years and be solely responsible for the financing, managing and operation of the project.

This is the first time the government has invited the private sector to run a cultural development project. The development includes three theatre complexes, a concert venue, four museums, a water amphitheatre and at least four piazza areas. Work will start in 2006 to be completed in 2012. The government expects 6,000 jobs will be created.

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HK Govt: 10 Parties Interested In HK$24B Cultural Project
18 October 2003

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--The Hong Kong government said late Friday it has received 10 indications of interest for the development of a planned HK$24 billion cultural project.

Almost every blue-chip property developers, including Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd. (H.CKH), Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. (H.SHP), Henderson Land Development Co. (H.HLD), Wharf (Holdings) Ltd. (H.WHF) and railway-to-property firm MTR Corp. (H.MTH), have indicated their interests to the government.

The exercise was done to gauge market responses for the government. It said actual number of proposals by the submission deadline, before March 19, 2004, may be more than 10 as intending proponents aren't obliged to indicate interest.

The government plans to develop a 40-hectare waterfront site, the so-called West Kowloon Cultural District, into an arts and cultural complex.

While reiterating that the planned development isn't a property project, the government said last month it will allow 70% of the project's total gross floor area be developed for residential and commercial use in order to make the project self-financing.

The government has employed the same financing model before. Construction of the city's railway networks, as well as the Cyberport project, are both being subsidized by income generated from property development.

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Architects fear culture will lose out to property
Teddy Ng
18 October 2003
Hong Kong Standard

The Hong Kong Institute of Architects has lashed out at the government over the West Kowloon reclamation, saying it is turning out to be a property development scheme, not the new cultural hub of Hong Kong.

The institute urged the government to set up a West Kowloon Cultural Zone Development Board, which they say should include representatives from the art, cultural and property sectors, as well as legislators and government representatives, to monitor the development of the area.

The government has issued a global tender inviting private contractors to develop the project which covers 40 hectares of land.

Only 30 per cent of the land has been allocated to cultural facilities, while the remaining 70 per cent has been set aside for commercial use to cover the cost of operating the cultural facilities. The government received 10 expressions of interest yesterday. Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang said the government would grant only one developer rights for 50 years to avoid splitting up the project.

However, institute council member Bernard Lim said he was worried that the project would be focusing only on property development as the plot ratio of 1.81 could be altered, allowing contractors to build more commercial premises.

Lim also questioned why the government had decided to award the project to only one consortium.

"This is a large-scale project. How can we be confident that a single developer can handle it well," he said.

Lim said the government could grant the project to several developers in different phases.

To ensure the consistency of the project concept, Lim said a West Kowloon Cultural Zone Development Board should be set up.

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Using one developer for cultural hub 'illogical'
Cheung Chi-fai
18 October 2003
South China Morning Post

Architects want an authority to be set up to oversee the West Kowloon project and prevent it becoming a property project Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has been criticised by the Institute of Architects for his "illogical" refusal to grant the huge West Kowloon redevelopment project to more than one developer.

The group fears the project to transform the area into a cultural hub with museums, theatres and public walkways could simply end up as a cash-driven property project because there are too many ambiguities around the extent of commercial development allowed at the site.

It called for the establishment of an authority comprising all relevant sectors - both public and private - to oversee and scrutinise the $24 billion development of the 40-hectare site.

The institute yesterday said members were unconvinced by the argument put forward by Mr Tsang that it was in the public's best interest to develop the site by a single consortium that will be entrusted to run the site for 30 years.

Mr Tsang cited the need to keep costs down and added that one of the difficulties in splitting the project was the construction of a single roof covering the site.

But the institute said the construction of the world's largest roof, designed by the acclaimed architect Lord Foster, should have nothing to do with the tendering because the roof could be built in phases.

"It is illogical and hard to understand why the project cannot be split. If it is tendered as a single one, there will be just a few competitors bidding for it," said Vincent Ng Wing-shun, a council member of the institute. "The lack of competition will only result in low bids and it is simply equal to selling the bulk of the land at a cheap price. How can we say it is in the interest of the public?"

The institute said the World Trade Centre redevelopment in New York and Docklands in London were both developed in phases by different consortiums.

The group also pointed out that the ambiguities over the scale of residential and commercial developments allowed on the site would affect the eventual size of cultural space available to the public.

It also cast doubt over local developers' expertise in managing world-class cultural facilities.

The government has so far received 10 submissions from consortiums indicating their interest in developing the site.

Bernard Lim Fung-wan, a council member of the institute, said the group did not object to private participation in the project, but the government went to the wrong extreme in its tendering plans for West Kowloon.

"It is such a big swing from the building and running all cultural facilities by the government itself in the past to simply keep its hands off completely," he said. "But there are lots of possibilities in between."

He said the success of the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, was the result of both government participation and professional management from art experts.

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Cultural hub plans anger lawmaker
Peggy Sito
21 October 2003
South China Morning Post

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's efforts to calm fears over the West Kowloon redevelopment have failed to satisfy the legislator representing the real estate sector.

Abraham Razack said Mr Tsang's pledge last week to have Legco and the ICAC involved in awarding the contracts to turn the area into a cultural hub was flawed.

Mr Tsang had been responding to concerns over the amount of control being granted to the consortium that will develop the $24 billion project and be in charge of it for 30 years.

But Mr Razack said: "Legco's role is to monitor the government, but not to award contracts. The government has a central tendering board to select winning bids ... Why should we need ICAC?"

He joined calls for the tender to be split, suggesting separation of the residential and commercial segments, allowing big and small developers to bid. The government could use the proceeds to develop the site's arts, cultural and entertainment aspects, he said.

Mr Razack said he had called a panel meeting for this month in Legco to express his views.

Under Mr Tsang's suggestions, the Independent Commission Against Corruption would be invited to join the committee choosing a sole consortium to develop the project. Developers would meet the government to express their views in December, sources said.

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Cultural hub?
22 October 2003
South China Morning Post

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has done some tough talking when confronted with property developers opposed to an unprecedented plan to award the multibillion-dollar West Kowloon cultural complex project to a single consortium.

"This is not a real-estate development project. This is not a project for developers, but for public interest," he said.

Mr Tsang was speaking after meeting representatives from the Real Estate Developers Association last week, after the lobby group expressed concern that small-scale developers would be at a disadvantage in bidding for the $24 billion project. It asked the government to consider separating the cultural facilities from the residential and commercial parts of the project.

Last month, announcing plans to invite the private sector to fund, build and operate the project, Mr Tsang said: "We believe if we offer the private sector the chance to finance and build this facility, they will be able to run it more efficiently and with greater flexibility if it is offered as one entire commercial package."

Faced with a runaway deficit, officials have been lured by the idea of giving private enterprise the responsibility of building and operating the cultural complex, meaning the government does not have to dig into the public purse.

In return, the successful bidder will be able to use up to 70 per cent of the 40-hectare site for commercial and residential developments.

Such a move is in line with the goal of the Tung administration to adopt a "small government, big market" approach in running Hong Kong's affairs.

As developers responded with enthusiasm to the lucrative business opportunities which the project will create, the half-empty concert on Monday featuring Jose Carreras and Charlotte Church was disheartening.

The plain truth is that Hong Kong remains a long way from being a vibrant hub of culture, art and entertainment.

Instead, Hong Kong's Canto-pop and film production dominates popular culture in Chinese society. If anything, the disappointing turnout indicates a lack of interest among the populace for classical music.

This is in stark contrast to the heat of the debate over how the $24 billion-worth of contracts should be carved up by private enterprise, which raises fundamental questions about the mammoth project.

With a 30-hectare roof designed by world-renowned architect Norman Foster as its centrepiece, the West Kowloon complex - billed as the "new cultural icon" - is predicted to eclipse even the Sydney Opera House.

The building of first-class infrastructure for cultural events, however, will not necessarily result in an enriched and flourishing arts scene.

Under the self-financing arrangements for cultural facilities, there is also a very real possibility that only programmes featuring popular culture will pass the test of commercial viability.

Defending the idea of a single consortium for the project, senior officials have pledged that the cultural complex will not become "another cyberport". This project has become better known as a property development success, while few people know exactly how it is helping to boost development of information technology in Hong Kong.

Regardless of how contracts are packaged in the future, the West Kowloon cultural complex will be highly valued only when it succeeds in facilitating the development of a rich and diverse arts and leisure scene in the special administrative region.

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Modern ink painting might get home of its own in cultural hub
Chloe Lai
23 October 2003
South China Morning Post

The world's first contemporary ink-painting museum may be set up in Hong Kong.

Two developers have been holding discussions with Hong Kong's new Ink Society about establishing a museum to showcase outstanding modern and contemporary ink paintings in the proposed West Kowloon cultural district.

Ink Society vice-chairwoman Alice King announced the proposal at a forum of the Arts Development Council, where representatives of the arts community put forward their suggestions for the West Kowloon project.

She said the society had mentioned the museum proposal to Hong Kong's main developers, and two had shown an interest in getting it off the ground. It would be inappropriate to reveal the names of the developers, she said.

"Hong Kong is at the crossroads between the east and west. A museum displaying the best modern and contemporary ink paintings could help people understand the best of their culture while showing them how to embrace the best of western culture," said Mrs King, who is a sister of Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa.

"Museums are about exhibitions and collections. Holding an exhibition is never a problem, but where do we get the collections? We don't have the resources to compete for Picasso paintings, but we have the potential and advantages to display the best contemporary ink painting from around the world.

"People don't come to Hong Kong to see western paintings. Many collectors from around the world have told us they would donate to our museum if we had one."

Mrs King, who is also director of the Alisan Fine Arts Gallery in Central, questioned whether the government planned to form a board of directors to oversee museums in the cultural district.

"Any museum in the world has a board of directors. This is essential," she said, adding that board members should be government officials or representatives of the community and business sectors.

Hong Kong Arts Centre executive director Louis Yu Kwok-lit urged the government to come up with a monitoring mechanism as soon as possible.

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Developer lashes out at West Kowloon planning
25 October 2003
Hong Kong Standard

A developer has criticised the government's planning of the West Kowloon project, saying it is not a cultural project but a property project like Cyberport.

Ronnie Chan, chairman of Hang Lung Properties, said the government should develop the cultural side of the mega-project but let developers handle the residential component.

"Cultural development is not a responsibility of the business sector. It is better for the government to develop the amenities centre and leave the remainder to private developers," Chan said yesterday.

He said Hang Lung had not been one of the 10 companies to lodge bids for the HK$24 billion West Kowloon Cultural District project.

Chan also revealed that Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang had told developers not to disclose their views on the project to the media.

Chan said this had angered him as Tsang's words had hampered freedom of speech.

The tendering method was fundamentally wrong, as the content of the tender documents was unclear and the indicated 30-year operation tenure was too long, Chan said.

His comments follow the government's insistence that only one consortium would be chosen to develop the entire scheme.

Smaller developers have been pressing the government to split the project so they can also take part.

In inviting proposals for the project last month, Tsang said only one developer would be granted control to "ensure its concept would be consistent".

Chan suggested the 40-hectare site be broken up and auctioned, which would provide the government with the proceeds to pursue the cultural project on its own. He said he had already expressed his opinion to the government.

Chan is not alone in his protest as fellow developers from the Real Estate Developers' Association had attempted to convince the government to open up the project to small developers as well. The West Kowloon project, to be developed on reclaimed land, will include three theatre complexes, a concert venue, four museums, a water amphitheatre and at least four piazza areas.

It is the second time in a week that Chan has spoken out against government policies.

In the company's annual report released on Tuesday, Chan said Hang Lung Properties might invest more on the mainland if government policies remained unpredictable, a reference to government measures to support the residential property market.