Legco Approves HK$2.8b Bailout For Ocean Park

Legco’s Finance Committee on Friday overwhelmingly approved a HK$2.8 billion bailout for the struggling Ocean Park, even though many councillors voiced reservations about its redevelopment plans.

Lawmakers expressed concern about a variety of issues – from whether the attraction could turn into a financial ‘black hole’, to complaints over a sand-free ‘beach’ at its planned water park, and even worries that a new free-to-enter area could end up drawing large crowds of foreign domestic helpers at weekends.

Roundtable Lawmaker Michael Tien was less than impressed when a visit to the park’s new water world section scheduled to open this summer revealed that a ‘beach’ there would have no sand.

The park explained that actual sand would clog up the filtration system and cause hygiene problems, so it decided to replace the sand with a different material of a similar colour.

"It's just an outdoor swimming pool,” Tien complained. “Without an artificial beach with sand, it lessens the attraction. Whether they can still get 1.3 million visits every year… year after year, charging that amount of money, obviously I'm not optimistic.”

"My only concern is the water park will create a huge financial burden...It's going to be a huge black hole, keep sucking up more money in the future," he added.

Ocean Park chairman Lau Ming-wai assured councillors that the park would simply pull the plug on the attraction if it proves to be a flop, rather than coming back to ask for more public money.

Other lawmakers were concerned about the park’s plans to waive entrance fees to its lowland area, to convert it to a retail, dining and entertainment centre.

While New People’s Party legislator Eunice Yung said she’s hoping to see outlets for famous fashion brands pop up, Business and Professionals Alliance lawmaker Jeffrey Lam wondered if waiving entrance fees would just turn the whole area into a bazaar.

His colleague Christopher Cheung, further expressed worries that ‘large crowds’ of foreign domestic helpers would gather in the area if there’s no charge levied.

Lau, however, said a free-to-enter area is the right way forward, but said the park could reconsider if this arrangement results in a poor experience for customers.

He said the vision isn’t to turn the lowland area into a big outdoor mall, but to have a balance of retail, food and beverage elements, with a pro-conservation theme, to make guests feel like they’re walking along the coast of south California.

Despite the concerns aired, all but one lawmaker – Cheng Chung-tai – voted to approve the funding, which comprises a one-off grant of HK$1.66 billion to fund the park’s revamp, along with another HK$1.12 billion for the park’s conservation and education programmes.

The government had already gave the cash-strapped park a separate HK$5.4 billion bailout last year, saying this was needed to save it from liquidation.