Hong Kong's Victoria Park Tennis Centre Set for Redevelopment, Aiming to Host ATP and WTA 500 Events

Recently, Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive John Lee stated in his annual policy address that the decades-old Victoria Park Tennis Centre will be redeveloped to host larger-scale events in the future.

Currently, Hong Kong holds the rights to host one WTA and one ATP event, both at the 250 level. The ATP 250 "Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open" is held every January, while the WTA 250 "Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open" takes place every November.

John Lee said: "We will study the redevelopment of the main court and ancillary facilities of the Victoria Park Tennis Centre into a landmark all-weather multi-purpose venue to host larger-scale, higher-level sports events, and to be used for performances as needed."

The Victoria Park Tennis Centre opened in 1982 and has 3,600 seats, capable of hosting only the lowest-tier men's and women's professional tennis events. The redevelopment plan is expected to more than double the capacity to host 500-level events, while local tennis figures are pushing to increase the seating to 10,000 to directly host 1000-level events.

Hong Kong Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said that local tennis players have performed quite well in recent years, with more and more fans coming to cheer them on, and the annual open tournaments in Hong Kong also attract many local and overseas tourists to watch.

Above: Hong Kong tennis player Coleman Wong at the Hangzhou Open

Hong Kong Tennis Association President Michael Cheng strongly supports the venue upgrade. He said: "Victoria Park is unique globally, given its historical heritage and prime location in the city centre. It represents Hong Kong's unique brand as an international Asian metropolis. Today's decision shows that Hong Kong has the determination and vision to bid for credible world-class sports events."

According to the South China Morning Post, the redevelopment is not expected to involve any Victoria Harbour reclamation works, and nearby facilities such as the indoor swimming pool, basketball courts and football pitches will not be affected.

The authorities have begun a feasibility study and hope to start construction within the first five-year planning period. According to preliminary plans, the redeveloped tennis centre will include a main court, one to two secondary courts, warm-up courts, etc. In addition to tennis events, the authorities hope the venue can host other ball games, such as basketball, volleyball and beach volleyball, and can also be used for concerts or performances to meet increasing venue demand.

For the already secured WTA and ATP Tour events, implementation and transition plans will be put in place, using Hong Kong Stadium as a temporary replacement venue. Michael Cheng said: "We are in discussions with relevant government departments and the professional tours. We are all actively exploring to ensure an orderly implementation and transition plan."

| Source: Hong Kong Government News; South China Morning Post

| Image source: Hangzhou Open official Weibo; South China Morning Post