The 8,500 tickets for the star-studded opening ceremony of Kai Tak Sports Park, priced at HK$10 ($1.29) each, sold out about half an hour after going on sale Friday morning via the government-run ticketing platform Urbtix.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for March 1 and will feature a stellar lineup of athletes and performers from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.
A China Daily reporter attempting to secure tickets faced intense competition, joining over 37,000 online users in a virtual queue within two minutes of sales opening.
Despite repeated attempts, the reporter timed out of the 10-minute waiting period and was unable to reach the payment page.
Culture, Sports, and Tourism Secretary Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said at a Thursday press conference that only 33,600 tickets were made available for the 50,000-seat stadium due to a three-sided stage setup.
Among the 16,800 tickets to be distributed by the government, 8,500 tickets were reserved for public purchase, with a limit of two tickets per person.
Some 8,300 were reserved for lawmakers, district councilors, community leaders, government guests, grassroots families, and participants of the Strive and Rise Programme —a government initiative to help youngsters from less-privileged households.
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Another 16,800 are allocated to sponsors, partners, and stakeholders involved in the park’s construction and operation.
The 1.5-hour gala, divided into four segments highlighting Hong Kong’s sports and cultural role, will begin at 6:30 pm on March 1 and will air as a pre-recorded broadcast on four local TV channels at 9:30 pm.
Speaking on a late Thursday radio program, Law denied technical issues influenced the decision to forgo live streaming, explaining the edited format aims to showcase performances from optimal angles.
Successful buyers must collect their physical tickets at the park between Feb 27 and March 1 using the electronic redemption vouchers and their ID.
Law urged attendees to collect tickets early to familiarize themselves with the venue layout and ensure a smooth experience on March 1.
Yeung Tak-keung, head of the National Games Coordination Office and former sports commissioner, told an RTHK program on Friday that rigorous testing and rehearsals have ensured that staff are fully prepared for the event.
READ MORE: HK, mainland stars for Kai Tak Sports Park opening gala show
He hailed the park as a “world-class venue” and expressed optimism it will attract more major events to Hong Kong.
