Kowloon City eye move to Kai Tak with ambitions to attract new audience, build brand

Aston Villa were said to have had their noses knocked out of joint when they had to train at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground last week, while Liverpool were not particularly enamoured when fans could peer into the exposed venue to watch them practice 12 months ago.

Moreover, the 5,000-capacity arena, dwarfed by the adjacent Kai Tak Stadium, has proved a hard sell locally, with no tenant obtained since it opened in March last year.

Kitchee, the Hong Kong Premier League champions, understandably rolled their eyes when quoted a monthly rental fee between HK$70,000 and HK$90,000 (roughly US$8,900 and US$11,500).

With sources indicating that Kai Tak chiefs are very keen to secure a principal occupant, the rebranded Wofoo Kowloon City could be about to emerge from a perfect storm cradling the keys to the venue.

Andrew Mak Yung-pan, the Kowloon vice-chairman, acknowledges that not a lot of how his club goes about its business conforms to Hong Kong football norms.

He boasts the personal funds to turn Kowloon into league champions overnight but argues “what would be the purpose?” “It would be for ego or vanity,” he told the South China Morning Post.

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