Hong Kong will host a 90-minute opening ceremony for the city’s largest-ever sports facility, Kai Tak Sports Park, on March 1, featuring performances by artists and athletes from the special administrative region and the Chinese mainland.

It will be a historic moment to be broadcast live on four local free-to-air television stations, and can be viewed on mainland media platforms later, Acting Chief Executive Eric Chan Kwok-ki said on Tuesday before a weekly Executive Council meeting.

Chan -- acting for Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu who’s in Harbin for the 9th Asian Winter Games – said the ceremony will begin at the park at 6:30 pm on the opening day.

READ MORE: Kai Tak Sports Park passes largest drill yet with over 60,000 joining

Representatives of the local and mainland sports and entertainment industries, spanning various age groups and generations, will join the event.

The opening ceremony, due to last one-and-a-half hours, will depict the history and transformation of the Kai Tak area through large-scale dance performances, sports displays and singing, with four themes highlighting the SAR’s role in sports and cultural exchanges over historic periods.

“The show will include performers of across ages and generations, including representatives from the local and mainland sports and entertainment sectors, to celebrate the opening of Kai Tak Sports Park, a new landmark in Hong Kong,” Chan said.

Preparation works, including stage designation, as well as seating arrangements and ticketing, are in full swing.

Four local free-to-air television stations will broadcast the event live, while mainland residents will be able to watch it later on the platforms of national broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV).

Expressing his anticipation of and confidence in the new facility, Chan said Hong Kong will leverage Kai Tak Sports Park’s potential to hold more major sports and entertainment events in the city, fostering the development of sports and related industries and providing fresh experiences for tourists from around the world.

He said more than 15 tests and rehearsals have been satisfactorily conducted in the park. Future plans will include a drill involving about 63,000 people, indicating that the park is prepared for such activities.

READ MORE: Kai Tak’s main stadium test event a success, with over 10,200 attendees

The park will host its first international sports event, the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament, from March 28 to 30, and renowned British band Coldplay is expected to perform there on the nights of April 8, 9, 11 and 12.

As a multifunctional facility, the park has three main venues – a 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium, a 10,000-seat Kai Tak Arena and the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground that can accommodate 5,000 people. There’s also a 32,000-square-foot gourmet complex and a 700,000-square-foot shopping mall.

Construction work on the park -- one of the key infrastructure developed on the site of the demolished Kai Tak Airport -- began in 2019 and was mostly completed late last year.

Contact the writer at stephyzhang@chinadailyhk.com