Author: Tobias Zuser
Source: Social Transformations in Chinese Society
Abstract
This paper aims to examine the dynamics between Hong Kong’s domestic sporting needs and its regional aspirations as a “hub” for sport and culture, which have created challenges and contradictions for the optimal provision of relevant infrastructure. These have become particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when local restrictions have undermined Hong Kong’s appeal as an event destination and hindered access and utilization of venues.
In recent years, policies in this area have mainly focused on the development of a new sports park on the former airport runway in Kai Tak, which has acquired additional significance in the city’s quest for post-pandemic economic recovery. Simultaneously, any noncommercial land use in Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated cities in the world, faces intense scrutiny over a perceived scarcity of space.
This paper finds that Hong Kong’s sport policy framework exhibits unbalanced consideration when it comes to the planning and development of relevant infrastructure.
By acknowledging the interrelatedness and similarity between sports and culture, the paper may further test the adaptability of cultural policy concepts for the analysis of Hong Kong’s sports policy. As such, it aims to bring the usually separated study of cultural and sport policy within a comparable framework.