Hong Kong to set up Olympic Piazza

In support of the Hong Kong SAR Government’s effort to enhance the citywide Olympic ambience, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB ) is partnering the Tourism Commission to stage the Hong Kong Olympic Piazza at Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza from 25 July to 24 August 2008.

The Hong Kong Olympic Piazza will tie in with the Olympic rings structure on the facade of Hong Kong Museum of Art to create a strong Olympic atmosphere in Tsim Sha Tsui – the popular tourist district with a cluster of landmark attractions.

The Piazza is designed to provide dynamic entertainment and information. The visual treat will include broadcast of the Olympic competitions on one of the world’s largest plasma TVs and big TV screens, as well as on the facade of Hong Kong Cultural Centre, which will be turned into a 22-metre projection screen.

In addition, there will be various Olympic-themed decorations, which will provide backdrops for photos. These include the Olympic Torch, medal-winning Fuwa lantern display, medal presentation podium, lighting trail and a mock-up of the National Aquatics Centre – water cube – which will feature a spectacular light show. And on every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, there will be parades featuring local student performances that showcase Hong Kong’s vibrancy and traditional Chinese culture.

On the information side, the Piazza is equipped with a range of facilities and displays, including Olympic information kiosks, exhibition and e-books about the Olympic Equestrian Events. As well as information about the Olympics and Olympic Equestrian Events, visitors can get the latest update on the Games. And to highlight the Equestrian Events in Hong Kong, the Piazza will exhibit life-sized model horses, while three life-sized colourful horse statues designed by local students will be displayed in Hong Kong for the first time.

To provide visitors with further information about Hong Kong, the HKTB will set up a dedicated area to highlight Hong Kong’s diverse tourist attractions, and arrange staff to assist in visitors’ itinerary-planning and enquiries on-site.

The Hong Kong Olympic Piazza can accommodate up to 3,000 people at one time. For security and traffic management reasons, tickets will be required for entry to the Piazza. The admission tickets for each open session will be distributed to visitors and local residents outside the Piazza one hour in advance of each session and each person will be given a maximum of four tickets.

The HKTB has also collaborated with various social services organisations, namely the Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong, Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service North District Integrated Youth Services Centre, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Jockey Club Tin Shui Wai Integrated Services Centre and Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Tung Chung Integrated Services, to organise visits to the Piazza for over 250 underprivileged children and families from remote areas. Guided tours will be specially arranged for them to help understand more about the Olympics and the Olympic Equestrian Events.

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