Hong Kong developer Sun Hung Kai Properties is betting big on arts and commercial projects at the West Kowloon Cultural District, banking on the city’s designated role as a cross-border asset and wealth management hub – even as the office rental market remains subdued. Sun Hung Kai Properties is positioning its projects to stand out…
Hong Kong’s West Kowloon arts hub has signed agreements with 12 international institutions from Australia, the UK, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, paving the way for future collaborations as the city seeks to strengthen its role as an East-meets-West cultural hub. The memorandums of understanding (MOUs) signed on Sunday by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority…
The authority managing Hong Kong’s West Kowloon arts hub has averted a funding crisis after obtaining a longer-than-usual 10-year loan facility of HK$3 billion, which comes in addition to a US$1 billion (US$383.8 million) bond sale programme announced earlier. The financing would provide a much-needed lifeline to the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority in the…
A new Hong Kong ferry service connecting Central and the West Kowloon Cultural District has started a four-day trial run as part of several initiatives being explored to boost the arts hub’s appeal. Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee, CEO of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, said during the trial’s debut on Monday that the organisation…
As it recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, Hong Kong desperately needs new trading partners and new markets. The government has been building bridges to the Arab world, and in particular, Saudi Arabia. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po and West Kowloon Cultural District CEO Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee have led delegations…
Income from performing arts spaces in Hong Kong’s premier cultural hub could improve with the opening of a new 2,320-seat theatre complex next year, the head of the area’s managing body has said, following last year’s financial woes. A paper submitted to the Legislative Council revealed that the cost recovery rate for the West Kowloon…
New cultural and sports venues have helped to attract visitors, with tourist numbers for August hitting a post-Covid high, but the city needs a “Hong Kong Inc” movement to elevate its brand on the world stage, a forum has heard. Speakers at the Redefining Hong Kong conference on culture, sports and tourism, hosted by the…
Hong Kong should target high-spending multicultural audiences rather than mass-market tourism, experts have said in response to Shanghai unveiling plans for its mega-event economy – potentially putting the two cities in direct competition. In terms of booking international superstars, Shanghai already has the lead. The mainland Chinese metropolis hosted two concerts by American diva Mariah…