Kick-off for Kai Tak Sports Park
Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong is the largest sports and entertainment complex ever built in the region.
RLB’s consultants played a pivotal role in overcoming the formidable challenges of its construction by applying their expertise in cost management, value engineering and strategic procurement.
By Ling Lam
Managing Director, RLB in North Asia
Image: Courtesy of Kai Tak Sports Park Limited and Populous
The atmosphere was electric when Kai Tak Sports Park hosted the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament for the first time.
Members of the RLB team who supported the complex’s construction were among the thousands of spectators in the main stadium and we can vouch that it offers a memorable and world-class experience for sports fans.
We had a fantastic view from our seats, which were very comfortable and air-cooled, while the big screens enhanced the viewing experience, ensuring no one missed any of the action on the pitch.
Colleagues who have attended concerts there have been very impressed by the acoustics, staging and lighting effects. At all events, the crowd management was well-organised and efficient, making it easy to move around, and both entry and exit is a smooth process.
When we visit this iconic, transformative development, we feel even prouder of the part we played in its successful delivery as independent cost consultants responsible for providing trusted, impartial advice and robust financial discipline at all times.
Significant engineering challenges
The 50,000-seat main stadium, which is made of 15,000 tonnes of steel, is the architectural centrepiece of Kai Tak Sports Park. It has a striking façade composed of tens of thousands of aluminium panels, a design inspired by Hong Kong’s historical name, ‘The Pearl of the Orient’.
The 148m-long retractable roof posed significant engineering challenges, particularly in developing a sealing system that met stringent operational, weather-tightness and acoustic requirements. The all-weather turfing system added another layer of complexity to the design and construction process.
Other amenities at the complex include a 10,000-seat indoor sports arena, a 5,000-seat public sports ground, a mall with retail and dining outlets, outdoor sports courts, and landscaped open spaces dedicated to community use.
Image: Courtesy of Kai Tak Sports Park Limited and Populous
FACTS AND FIGURES
Project: Kai Tak Sports Park
Location: Hong Kong
Client: Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Size: 57,000 sq m gross floor area of commercial space
Seating capacity: 50,000 (main stadium), 10,000 (indoor sports centre), 5,000 (public sports ground)
“As the project had to be delivered within a tight budget and schedule while meeting world-class standards, RLB adopted a proactive and structured approach to cost management.”
Optimum procurement model
Given the sheer scale of the project and its significant construction costs, one of our first and most important tasks was to evaluate different procurement models to determine the best one to deliver value for money, attract high-quality bid proposals and incentivise private sector investment.
The procurement approach adopted was a Design-Build-Operate model under a 25-year contract, integrating design, construction and operations within a single entity. This consolidated innovation, risk management and delivery capabilities to maximise efficiency and life cycle performance, providing the optimum balance of risk and reward between the contracting parties. Importantly, it enabled the company that would operate the complex to input into its design and advise how to make it more commercially viable.
Our team also assisted in the development of prequalification criteria to encourage competitive bidding and contributed to drafting prequalification enquiry documents and tender and contract documentation.
Rigorous cost control
As the project had to be delivered within a tight budget and schedule while meeting world-class standards, RLB adopted a proactive and structured approach to cost management.
Our methods focused on early identification of cost-critical issues and collaborative problem-solving with the client and design team to inform the design process and maintain rigorous cost control. Key processes and approaches included:
- Defining viability and refining the reference design – We established what was financially viable and refined the reference design to guide bidders’ proposals.
- Robust cost framework – A clear and comprehensive cost framework was implemented and communicated to the design team to ensure alignment and accountability.
- Collaborative cost control – Regular workshops with the design team ensured that cost assumptions were aligned with design aspirations, enabling informed decisions.
- Structured procedures – We implemented strict protocols for cost management, change control and risk management throughout the project life cycle.
- Gateway reviews – Formal reviews at key milestones ensured approvals were based on financially supportable decisions.
- Contract administration – We adopted an equitable approach in valuing variations and administering the contract during construction.
- Early warnings and reporting – Potential cost exposures were flagged early, and timely reporting kept the client and design team informed of overall cost status.
Images: Courtesy of Kai Tak Sports Park Limited and Populous
Value engineering principles
We applied value engineering principles across all design stages to compare alternatives and optimise solutions for critical structural elements, high-maintenance components, and energy-intensive systems.
Design options were evaluated against criteria including life cycle costs, functionality, programme impact, aesthetics, and long-term maintenance and operational expenses. One of the options we provided costs estimates for was a structural innovation that eliminated columns within seating areas, guaranteeing unobstructed sightlines for spectators.
Regular workshops with the project team ensured alignment between design aspirations and cost parameters.
Leveraging RLB’s global network
With no comparable cost data available in Hong Kong, our team drew on the expertise of colleagues in RLB’s global network who had carried out a detailed study benchmarking the construction cost of sports stadiums around the world.
The benchmark data included key metrics such as cost per seat, cost per square metre, area per spectator seat, steel structure weight (kg/m²), and seating capacities. To adapt these metrics to the Hong Kong context, we applied relativity indices and location factors, converting historical costs into relevant local values.
This data provided a reliable baseline upon which an accurate budget estimate was established for Kai Tak Sports Park, critical to enabling better-informed planning decisions and ensuring the cost-effectiveness of the stadium design, and delivering a substantial increase in cost certainty for our client.
Embedded approach to sustainability
Sustainability principles were embedded throughout the design and construction processes. This included adopting climate-responsive infrastructure and green building best practices, for example, achieving a green ratio of over 30% with more than 1,000 trees planted to mitigate the urban heat island effect.
Through optimised design and BIM-driven efficiencies, the project saved over 1,000 tonnes of steel (approximately 6% of total tonnage) and reduced CO₂ emissions by more than 25%. To date, the development has received multiple green building certifications – Platinum under BEAM Plus, Gold under LEED, and 3-Stars under the Hong Kong Green Label Scheme – along with a substantial collection of other environment-related awards and accolades.
We provided cost estimates for various sustainability design options, enabling the project team to optimise environmental performance at minimal cost.
Working as one team towards one goal
Despite the unprecedented size and complexity of its design and construction, Kai Tak Sports Park has realised the government’s vision for it: to position Hong Kong as a premier destination for major international sporting events while at the same time promoting sports in the community,
This achievement reflects the outstanding efforts of all team members involved. One of the most rewarding aspects of working on the project was the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse team of world-class professionals, each bringing unique expertise and insights to the table.
This dynamic environment fostered a culture of knowledge-sharing and innovation, where challenges were approached collectively and solutions were developed through open dialogue and teamwork.
Each team member was committed to delivering best-in-class services, and there was a strong sense of unity in working toward a common goal – creating a landmark sports and entertainment precinct that would serve Hong Kong for generations to come.
About the author
Ling Lam
Ling Lam is the Managing Director of RLB’s North Asia region and a Global Board Director of RLB. As a Fellow of RICS and HKIS, she possesses extensive experience in delivering complex public, institutional and commercial projects. Ling was honoured with the RICS Hong Kong Woman of the Built Environment Award in 2021.
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