Time ticking to redeem opening show tickets at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park

More than half of 8,500 public sale tickets for the opening ceremony of Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park had not been collected two days before the show, the city’s sports commissioner said on Friday, warning time was running out to redeem the remaining ones.

While the main stadium can hold 50,000 spectators, Saturday’s show will be limited to 33,600 people, including the 8,500 who bought tickets priced at HK$10 (US$1.30) that were snapped up in a public sale last week.

Commissioner for Sports George Tsoi Kin-pan said about 3,500, or 43 per cent, of those tickets had been redeemed as of Thursday, the first day of the ticket exchange period, leaving the bulk still waiting to be collected.

“If you successfully purchased the ticket redemption vouchers, you need to redeem the physical tickets at Kai Tak Arena either Friday or Saturday,” he said on Friday, adding attendees should familiarise themselves with the park when redeeming tickets.

He said the redemption counter would be open from 12pm to 10pm on Friday and 9am to 3pm on Saturday.

“I urge people who have purchased the e-vouchers to redeem the physical tickets as soon as possible to prevent delays during the admission,” he said. “We will open the stadium from 4.30pm for entry. We do not wish to see crowds heading to different places running into each other.”