Hong Kong’s in-the-making Airport City project will cost an investment of HK$100 billion ($12.86 billion) as the city’s airport authority plans to double its scale to turn it into a world-leading hub offering high-end commercial, tourism and leisure experiences.

Approving the plan, lawmaker Ben Chan Han-pan suggested making full use of the airport clusters in the Guangdong-Hong Kong Greater Bay Area to maximize the potential of the mega project.

New programs are expected to be completed in three phases between 2026 and 2031, which will involve the development of 60 hectares of additional land and 200 hectares of sea area, the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) revealed on Thursday.

In Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s third Policy Address, the government proposed further expanding the scale of the Airport City project, pledging to create a new and world-leading landmark in the bay area between the airport island and Tung Chung East New Town, and the Hong Kong Port Island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

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It plans to launch a series of new programs to promote high-end commercial, tourist and leisure activities. These include creating an ecosystem for the arts industry, building the AsiaWorld-Expo Phase 2, developing a marina with ancillary facilities, opening a food market for imported fresh food and providing more public spaces.

During a press conference, Fred Lam Tin-fuk, chief executive officer of the AAHK said the authority will not be responsible for the commercial projects, and most of them will be operated through tenders. The authority will seek potential business partners starting next year.

Among the current Airport City projects, a new hotel and three Grade A office buildings have been completed, and 11SKIES — an integrated retail, dining, and entertainment facility — will gradually open from the second half of 2025.

To align with Hong Kong's status as a top international arts hub, the AAHK intends to build an arts ecosystem at the Hong Kong International Airport, developing Hong Kong's first one-stop program that integrates arts creation, appreciation and trading, which will create a community of galleries and arts spaces.

The airport also plans to construct Hong Kong's first largescale storage facility specifically for art storage.

Major facilities from the second phase of the AsiaWorld-Expo project are expected to be completed in 2028 and to become operational in phases. The project involves building Hong Kong's largest indoor multipurpose venue, with over 20,000 seats and more conference and exhibition facilities, to accommodate more world-class performances and international business events and attract more visitors to Hong Kong.

The AAHK will also develop the “Jet Fresh Market” on the artificial island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, making Hong Kong a center for high-end and fresh food flown in from around the world and providing a unique culinary tourism experience.

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The waters adjacent to the airport island will also be used to develop Hong Kong's largest yacht port and supporting facilities, offering around 600 yacht berths, and various water leisure and recreational facilities, with the aim of making the Airport City a unique yacht tourism destination in Asia, especially within the GBA.

Contact the writer at fangxue@chinadailyhk.com