Hong Kong Soccer Facility to be Built

Plans to build Hong Kong soccer’s first training centre will reportedly materialise as soon as the Hong Kong Football Association (HFKA), Hong Kong Jockey Club and government finalise the proposal.

HKFA CEO, Mark Sutcliffe said the facility will be built on a landfill site in Tseung Kwan O and could be ready for use as early as 2014.

Sutcliffe said: “My understanding is the Jockey Club has more or less confirmed funding and the government has agreed to underwrite the running cost.”

The project was initiated in 2003 when the construction cost was estimated to be HK$103M (US $13.M), all funded by the Jockey Club. But the plan has been ongoing for almost a decade as the HKFA has reportedly not been keen to to take the risk of bearing the running costs of the centre,” estimated at more than HK$10M (US$1.3M) a year.

The centre will be built with both natural grass pitches and artificial turf. There will also be some facilities such as a physiotherapy centre, classrooms and gymnasium.

Sutcliffe said another priority of his new job would be setting up the professional league, which is scheduled to kick off in September for the 2013-14 season with at least 12 teams. {jcomments on}