18,000 fans expected for trial concert at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park

Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park is set to welcome its largest attendance to date on Saturday, with 18,000 people expected at the main stadium’s first trial concert, ahead of a packed calendar of major events in the coming months.

Authorities said on Thursday that previous test events showed attendees did not all leave at once, as a significant number tended to stay behind afterwards to dine or shop. It was an observation that officials said would be considered in their planning for the concert to manage outgoing traffic flow.

Commenting on this behaviour, Hong Kong Sports Commissioner, George Tsoi Kin-pan told media “every test event will be challenging because we are increasing both the scale and sophistication of individual events.

“This is the first non-sports event to be held in the main stadium (and) we hope we can have the opportunity to test out all the different elements and the coordination among our different staff.”

The ‘FOUR in LOVE’ charity concert on Saturday will feature singers Jay Fung Wan-him, Cloud Wan Ho-ying, Jace Chan Hoi-wing and local band Dear Jane.

Among the 18,000 expected to attend, around 4,000 will be situated at the stadium’s pitch to simulate the arrangements of coming major shows.

The 1½-hour concert will start at 6pm, with doors opening at 4pm.

As with previous trial events, authorities encouraged attendees to take public transport, including trains that arrived at the nearby Sung Wong Toi and Kai Tak MTR stations.

Taxis will drop off passengers at a public transport station on the southbound side of Sung Wong Toi Road, while private vehicles will be directed on the northbound side with police help.

Tsoi said parking facilities at the sports park would not be open for the event.

He also urged people to factor in time for security and bag checks, stressing that attendees would not be able to bring in items such long umbrellas or outside food and drinks, as well as water bottles - even empty ones.

As requested by the concert organiser, professional filming or photography equipment, as well as light signs over the size limit of 38cm by 20cm by 30cm (15 inches by 8 inches by 12 inches), will also be prohibited.

Kit Tse Tsui-yan, Police’s district commander for Sau Mau Ping, said that as the concert would end at around dinner time, people were expected to stay behind and not leave in one go.

She noted “based on our observations from the last rugby game, even during the peak time when 7,000 to 8,000 people left, not everyone ended up at the MTR station at the same time.

“Many people chose to stay and visit shops or eat at nearby restaurants. So this time we will also observe how this will affect pedestrian and vehicle traffic.”

The 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium held its first test event earlier this month when it hosted the University Sports Federation of Hong Kong, China’s rugby sevens tournament finals, featuring 17 teams and about 10,000 spectators.

The event was a trial for the annual Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament, which is scheduled to be held in March.

A music festival at the indoor Kai Tak Arena was also held in December, with an audience of 5,500.

Images: The interior of the main stadium at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park pictured earlier this month (top) and Kai Tak Sports Park Executive Director Darren Burden at the venue (below).